Attempts at Love
by hsg9
Summary: Raves, Thongs, a Halloween Ball, and a dance about Fast Food? Malfoy and Hermione go through some interesting situations. Will love prevail in the end? [DracoHermione] Stick with the early chaps for the best bits later on!
1. Default Chapter

I don't own any of this! Just in case anyone was wondering…

----- Chapter 1 - The Rave ----- (Draco's POV)

"Honey! Wake up!" my mum's voice echoed up the winding staircase to my room. I sighed. Another day in the life of Draco Malfoy. Can you say 'boredom'? I felt very lucky that morning, though, as I dragged myself out of bed. You see, I was being dropped off in Diagon Alley a week early, giving me plenty of time to wander around and cause some mischief. Using my father's name to get out of any trouble I might happen upon, of course.

I hopped into the shower, welcomed by cold water spouting from the spigot like little ice pellets. I yelped and turned the hot water on full blast. It didn't help much so I just jumped out and hurried into my clothes. I'd just have to take a one at the pub that night.

I rushed down the stairs, ate breakfast, and prepared to dis-apparate to Diagon Alley.

When we arrived, my mother refused to help me with my trunk into the Four Crosses Pub, claiming she needed to keep her nails in good shape and I was a man now, so I should do it myself anyways. We made our way to the counter and while she checked me in, I stood and took in the sights before me.

There was a high, arched ceiling, a library on the left with comfy, overstuffed chairs, and a dining room on the right with a table of cookies set out. Beyond the library on the left was the dusky pub and behind that the stairs up to the rooms. On the right, past the dining room, there was the check-in/out counter, where my mother was standing.

"Draco! Come here, dear, and get the key!"

I snatched the key out of her hand as she began to brief me on safety, manners, and hygiene. I continued to stare at my surroundings. I saw a couple of people pass by... My mind particularly focused on a girl with long brown hair going up the stairs. Maybe I could find her later on...

"Draco! Are you listening to me?"

"Yes, mum." I answered, my eyes snapped back to her face.

"Alright, I'll be off, then. Goodbye." She pecked me on the cheek and walked off, waving as she exited through the magnificent stained glass doors.

I reached my room and dropped the heavy trunk at the end of the bed. I pulled out a few pairs of robes, some jeans and shirts, as well as some homework I needed to finish and scattered them about the room to make it look a little more like home. I picked up some charms work I had put off to last and started working.

By the time I was done, it was only nine or so in the evening. I had eaten some sandwiches I had brought with me while I worked and now I desperately needed something to do, so I went downstairs to see what was happening in the pub.

When I got down the stairs, I saw a group of teens my age. I hung out casually, pretending to read a book and waited for them to leave. The same girl I had seen earlier walked past, and, yet again, her back was to me and I couldn't see her face. The group left once she had joined them. I don't know why this girl intrigued me so, but I followed.

We went down Knocturn Alley and after a couple of minutes we were there.

'There' in this case means a nice-sized, open-sided tent in the middle of a misty field. It was the kind you would see at a reception or a funeral, looking like it could fit maybe thirty or so people inside.

Once they reached the tent, the group proceeded down a semi-hidden stairway that led down into an underground, basement-like room. It was huge. There were strobe lights, a disco ball hanging from the ceiling, and a DJ. I went on into the room, forgetting about the group I had followed and just watched. As everyone started jumping to a particularly wild song, I felt the sudden urge to join in. The urge grew stronger as the song progressed and soon after I found myself dancing along with them, crowding in with the masses and enjoying the music.

Getting thirsty, I decided to search out a table with anything that was consumable. While exploring I came across the group I had followed. They were sitting in the corner by the stairs on a grouping of medieval stone benches that seemed to be intricately carved of solid granite.

Sitting in the middle of that group, laughing, was...

"Granger?"

She looked up with big brown eyes full of terror, "...Malfoy."

-----tbc?-----

Haha. Who would've guessed? Yeah, I know it's pretty obvious… -- I tried. So how was it? I'm not that good at the first chapter and setting everything up. And, again, sorry for rushing everything, but I hope you liked it!

Will there be a chapter two?  
I don't know it's up to you.  
But, I'll tell you what to do,  
Click that button that says 'review'.

REVIEW! Please...


	2. Defiance

Draco/Hermione. Don't own anything. Please R&R! So how's that for an author's note?

----- Chapter 2: Defiance ----- (Hermione's POV)

"Yeah, Granger. It's me," he smirked.

I quickly recomposed my look of disbelief and put on a look of defiance, "How'd you get here?" What I was really thinking was, 'Man, he looks good.'

It was true. They both had changed. Hermione had filled out in all the right places and had trimmed her hair, with apparent straightening spells added. She was dressed in black cargo pants that were tight in all the right places, and some kind of shirt. It looked like a black sports-bra with a long-sleeved fishnet shirt sewn over it. Draco, on the other hand, had let his hair become unruly and had gone without gel that night, which looked perfect in the current setting. He was wearing ripped, torn, and faded jeans, and a tight muscle shirt that showed off all his hard work over the summer.

"I followed you and your friends here," he answered simply. He glared around at my group of friends, pausing on the one with bright pink, short cropped hair, obviously trying to decide whether it was a guy or girl. "What is this place anyways?" he sneered.

"It's a rave, Malfoy," I replied.

"I see." I could tell he was just buying time.

"Malfoy." I snapped my fingers in his direction to get his attention.

"What do you want, mudblood?" he asked cautiously.

"Wanna dance?" I asked coolly. The derogatory term didn't bother me a bit; I had grown quite used to it over so many years.

He seemed unnerved by my courage to even talk to a 'pureblood like him'. But he was on my turf now. And as if to match my wit, he said, "If you think you can take me."

-----tbc?-----

Thanks you guys for sticking with me! so, hey! I'll put up another chap tomorrow, 'kay?

Thank you for reviewing for those of you who had time to before I posted this chapter. I decided to do this in small doses. One-a-day. Like aspirin. Or closer together than needed, like aspirin... while babysitting.


	3. Dancing

Hermione/Draco. Don't own anything.

----- Chapter 3: Dancing ----- (Draco's POV)

Granger led me over to the mosh-pit. I noticed that there wasn't any room left within the roped-in area.

"Granger! How are we going to fit in there?" I yelled over the blasting music.

She laughed and went through the ropes, squeezing into the crowd. I followed, wondering why she had laughed at me. How dare someone laugh at me! Excuse me, but I am a MALFOY!

Once smushed in with the other teens, Granger started to jump up and down in rhythm to the music with the others. I followed suit and just did what she did. Once we had completed the song with all the appropriate dance moves, including head-banging, I had a head-ache. But then a softer song came on.

Next to me, Granger sighed and climbed over the ropes. She went over to the pink-haired kid and they danced. I stood there, still confused about the gender of the teen, but was distracted by the way Granger was dancing.

She faced the other individual, dancing provocatively. 'Is this the same person I knew in sixth year? What does she think she's doing with that guy?'

After a couple minutes like this, the other teen moved behind her. From this position, Granger was facing me and the other was behind, looking in my direction also. Towards the end, they both slowed down.

The guy behind Granger had startlingly icy-blue eyes. I couldn't see Granger's because she seemed to be extremely absorbed in the music and had hers closed. He took his eyes off of the witch in front of him, looked straight into my eyes, and smirked. I blinked, 'Did I miss something here?'

A minute later, some sirens were heard in the distance.

-----tbc?-----

You can probably guess what'll happen next, but I'm not even going to attempt a cliff-hanger. I'm too lazy. I'll post again soon!

REVIEW!


	4. Disturbances

Thank you for reviewing if you did. If you were too lazy to, but were going to, thank you for thinking about reviewing. In case you get confused, Raz is the person that Hermione is dancing with, and no, you won't find out the gender in this chapter.

Draco/Hermione. I don't own anything. You know the drill.

----- Chapter 4: Disturbances ----- (Hermione's POV)

I looked behind me at Raz, who I had been dancing with. Then at Malfoy. Malfoy had a funny look on his face, kind of like disbelief. I then heard the sirens.

"POLICE!" I yelled. No one heard me, so I told Raz and ran over to the circuit board. I found the crucial one that led to the speakers and turned the switch. Then, after the boo-ing and hissing died down, and a few people yelling various incoherent obscenities calmed down, they heard the sirens.

People started yelling things like, "Police!" "Cops!" and "Where are my shoes?"

I ran up the stairs and found myself face to face with the lady I had met earlier when finding a spot to set up the rave. "Anita."

"Yes. My name is in fact Anita. But you have no right to call me by my first name. You shall call me Mrs. Sorenson. Now. As I understand it, there is a party going on down there. Playing your newfangled ear-splitting racket at all hours of the night. Now, tell me, what possesses all of you to join in such a place as this?"

It was true. Having a muggle rave in the basement of a burned-down department store was strange. But it was perfect. I mean, it? underground, and the stairs weren't burned down, we considered it the find of the year. "So it was you who called the cops, huh?"

"Yes, young lady, it was. Now, tell me what you all are doing here, your names, and your addresses."

"First of all, hag, it's called a rave. Second of all, I don't know all these people, there are about two hundred of us down there. And, if you insist on knowing our addresses, I'm sure we can all stop by on our way out and tell you so you can write it down." I rolled my eyes, and pushed her out of the way so I could go back down.

She grabbed my arm and held me back, "Young lady. The police will be here any minute. You will stay here, for I think it is you that organized this whole bit of chaos here."

"Right," I said. Actually, I was only in charge of telling them where they could set up. You see, I know one of the members of the GBYFR, Giving British Youth Freedom by Raves. Anyways, he knew I would be in London early and he asked me if I would find a deserted building or field to use for the rave. Of course, I had planned ahead in anticipation of a situation like this.

As soon as the policeman arrived, Anita went over to talk to them and I slipped back down the stairs. I took in the scene around me. Confusion. Utter confusion. I opened the fire escape door and found the second stairwell. I yelled for everyone to go out that way and, believe it, or not, they followed. I cast a disillusionment charm on the area around us and the cars, so we could escape quietly and quickly. Nobody was wondering how they couldn't see us, but more along the lines of 'We're not going to jail tonight.'

-----tbc-----

OK! Another chapter over! And another one coming along shortly!

REVIEW!


	5. Drinks

Okay! Another day, another chapter!

Hermione/Draco. Don't own anything.

----- Chapter 5: Drinks ----- (Draco's POV)

The guy Granger was dancing with earlier went over to her once everyone had left. Just to set the record straight, I think it was clever of Granger to use the disillusionment charms, but she's still a mudblood.

"Bye, Raz," Hermione said.

'Hmm. Raz. That's a funny name. It still doesn't tell me if that kid's a guy or girl, though. I'll have to ask Granger later.'

Raz bent down and kissed Hermione lightly on the cheek. Surprisingly, Hermione pushed him away slightly playfully, but also serious. He didn't look put-out or anything, but just smiled, got in his car, and left.

Hermione saw the confused look on my face. "What?" she asked once she was standing by me, watching Raz drive away.

"Is that a guy or a girl?"

"What if I said I don't know?"

I looked disgusted, "You'd let someone kiss you without knowing if it was a boy or girl?"

She laughed, "Malfoy. Listen. It was a friendly kiss, like a goodbye kiss between best friends, so it wouldn't matter, would it?"

At this, she started to walk in the direction of the police cars.

"Granger! Wait up!" I yelled, wanting more than ever to get back to the pub and my nice, warm bed.

She turned and waited, watching me run to catch up. Then, we walked in silence past the woman by the police cars and found ourselves in Diagon Alley outside the pub.

I turned to her, "How'd you do that?"

She chuckled at her own cleverness, "A new spell I made up. It's a black hole spell, like a portkey, but it's quicker and safer. You can't trace it, either. You just step where you place the spell and it'll take you to another place where the spell's been placed. It's complicated," she added at the baffled look on my face.

"What room number are you?" I asked her as we walked into the reception area and up the stairs to the corridor.

"Five. You?"

"Four. I think ours are joined."

"Yeah. Mine has a fireplace. You want some cocoa?" she asked me. This girl was not the same as the shy Granger I used to know.

"I guess so. If you insist."

She smiled at this and said, "I didn't insist, Malfoy. You don't have to come if you don't want to." We had come to the door to her room, "It's a yes or no question. Do you want cocoa?"

"Yes," I blushed.

She smirked and I blushed a deeper red than before. 'How can she do this to me? She's acting like she knows my thoughts. Mmmm, marshmallows.'

Hermione made the cocoa while I sat on the floor staring at the cat on her bed, "Your cat hates me."

"Don't be a prat, Malfoy. He doesn't hate you… He just severely dislikes you."

"Huh. I'm not worried about some stupid cat." I turned around to face the fire. That was a mistake. Crookshanks, I later learned the barbarian's name, leapt onto my head. Using it as a launch pad to propel himself across the room at an alarming speed and land atop the dresser.

I stood up screeching, "My hair! You stupid cat! My hair! I need gel!"

Hermione spat her cocoa out. She started to laugh and I joined in, picking up my cup and taking a drink of the tepid beverage. Warmth spread through my body. I felt like I could have just fallen asleep right there.

"Well, I'm kind of tired. You can stay longer if you like. I'm just going to change real quick. You wanna stay and talk or what?"

"Yeah, I'll stay. Let me change and we can have a nice little 'chat' Plus I want more cocoa," I grinned childishly.

I went back to my room and changed. This was going to be interesting.

-----tbc-----

There! I know there isn't like a certain length that these are, but, hey! I'm posting them pretty close together. So, that's all for now.

REVIEW!


	6. Discussions

OK. Here's another chapter. Tell me if you are completely fed up and wish to call the cops to come and remove my fingers permanently from the keyboard.

Draco/Hermione. Don't own anything.

----- Chapter 6: Discussions ----- (Hermione's POV)

Draco was actually warming up to me. It was actually quite frightening. He seemed like a little kid.

I wondered what we were going to talk about while I changed into a tight, black, silky camisole and some flannel PJ's with a pattern of dark green stars on a black background.

Draco walked in a minute later wearing light blue pajama bottoms with bunnies hopping around on them, and a loose white t-shirt. I started to smile, but covered my mouth when I saw the look on his face.

"I like them," he said, the expression on his face a mixture of defiance, and pouting. No trace of anger; I was surprised.

"What hobo did you steal those from?" I asked, now laughing freely.

He huffed, stuck his chin in the air pompously, and sat on the bed holding something. I walked over carefully and sat next to him.

I sympathetically put my arm around his shoulders. "It's alright. They're not that bad… Really," I said unconvincingly. I reached further down as though to pull him into a hug, but instead, I tugged a fluffy, white rabbit out of his clutching grasp.

"Hey! Give me back Toffy!"

"Toffy!" I fell to the floor with hysterical laughter taking over my body. "That thing has a name!? Hah!" So he was a little kid! I couldn't wait to tell Harry and Ron.

"C'mon, Hermione. Don't tell. Please?!"

"Wow. I have Ferret-Boy on his knees grovelling, and calling me by my first name? Something's wrong here."

"What do you mean first name?"

"You called me Hermione"

"I doubt that. Even if I did, it was out of desperation." He stuck out his tongue to prove it.

"You haven't changed a bit, Draco," I muttered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing. Cocoa?"

"Please. So, tell me, mudblood, what's your favourite food?"

"Favourite food? Umm. It'd have to be Chinese food. You?"

"Yeah. I like Chinese a bit. But what I really like is Mexican food."

I had a fleeting image of Draco Malfoy in a sombrero eating a taco.

"OK, Granger, now you ask me a question."

"Alright then, what's your favourite colour?"

"I've taken a liking to blues lately. Blue and brown go together well," he answered.

"Yeah, I like dark green and black together. Like my pants," I pointed to my flannel PJ's.

"I see. Movie and book."

"Lord of the Rings. Second one, of course. Book, umm, probably 1984 by Orwell. It's one of the famous muggle ones," I answered.

"I've heard of some of those books. The movie, no, but I like Little Nicky with Adam Sandler, or Happy Gilmore."

"Yeah, have you seen that other one, Mr. Deeds?"

"Yeah! That was hilarious!" he laughed. "Ok," he straightened up and said, "So have you ever gone out with anyone at the school?" he asked, leaning forward with a malicious grin.

"Not yet. But I know you have. Pansy Parkinson." I stuck my finger in my mouth in a gagging gesture.

He rolled his eyes, "You need to grow up. It seems like you've gotten more immature since the beginning of school."

"Well look at you!" I gestured at him. He was still holding Toffy. "I mean, at least I don't have a stuffed animal… that's a bunny… a bunny called… Toffy!" I couldn't help laughing. I couldn't? wait to tell Fred and George the next time I visited their shop. Maybe I could go tomorrow

"Shut it. You'd better not tell anyone. Especially Potter or Weasley."

"Now that will need endorsement. You have nothing on me to counter-act the dirt I have on you." I paused, taking a sip from my cocoa, and then continued, enjoying the stunned look on his face, "You'll just have to find something people will actually believe. Or people that will believe something you say."

"I will get you, Granger. If it's the last thing I do."

-----tbc-----

Alright. Another chapter for those of you still sticking with me. Thank you to readers who have gotten this far without falling asleep. I'm gonna go watch Becker now. Next chapter soon!

REVIEW!


	7. Discussions Cont

Please don't consider this chap's ending a cliff. If you do, don't fall off! I mean, there would be all the paperwork, and my lawyer's on vacation, and I'm just not in the mood for being sued. So, I say:

DracoHermione. I don't own anything.

Guys! it's me. i know i've been gone a while, but please stick with this. i went through and updated it a bit, 'cos i started writing this when i was 14... yeah… a while back. so i love you all! and please keep reading 'cos i've got some great chapters coming up! the story gets really good around the 11th chapter or so… It'll go by fast, just stick with me, here! thanks for your time. hehe

----- Chapter 7: Discussions Continued (lame title, i know.) ----- (Draco's POV)

I was trying to act serious, but didn't think Hermione was buying it. I stood up and yawned, stretching my arms in the air. She was watching me closely. I noticed then that bringing my arms up had caused my shirt to lift as well. Hmm. Granger was checking me out, "You checking me out, Granger?" (AN: Ahh, the subtleness of Malfoys .)

"Yes, in fact, I am."

I stared at her in horror. "What?!"

"You asked me if I was 'checking you out' and I was. Why would I lie? You don't look too bad."

"What?!"

"You-are-pleasing-to-my-eyes." She said this slowly, not losing eye contact, or even blushing for that matter.

"Of course I am! I'm Draco Malfoy," I replied, trying to play it 'smooth'. "So, let's get back to our chat. Ever kissed anyone?"

"Friendly or serious?"

"Seriously, of course."

"No one. I have yet to find someone I feel like that about... Well, no one hat returns the feelings, anyways."

I made a mental note of what she said, hoping to use it against her later. "Pansy's kissed me before, but I don't think that should count."

We talked a bit longer, sticking to simple, shallow topics. We had gone through all the cocoa and I was about to make some more when her cell phone rang from its place on her desk. I reached over to answer, but she slapped my hand out of the way.

"Hello?... Hey... What?!?... Dunno... Maybe..." Hermione started to talk to the person on the phone.

I noted that her voice changed at the 'Maybe...' part of her conversation. Maybe it was an old boyfriend, but she had said she'd never had one. Or... a friend she liked? Possibly a guy she was hoping to go out with. I listened to the rest of the conversation, trying to detect what they were talking about.

"...They kicked you out? ... Yeah... Who are you staying with? No! You'd better not... If you stay- What?! I don't care! You aren't staying-"

I missed the rest of the sentence, but she murmured something about 'never again' and 'you'd better watch it'.

She hung up, "Malfoy, I'm tired, so I'm going to go to bed. If you wanna stay and have some more cocoa, just close the door behind you when you leave."

With that, she simply climbed into her bed and extinguished the candles with her wand. The warm glow of the fire cast shadows dancing across her bed. She had already fallen asleep.

I looked at my watch. No wonder she was tired, it was already four in the morning. I decided to get more marshmallows for my drink and went over to the bag to get some.

I heard a key rattling in the door and quickly hid under Hermione's desk.

---------------

Again, don't fall off the cliff. I'll post again soon! REVIEW!


	8. Dirt

Thank you for sticking with me. I hope you didn't go crazy waiting for this, but I went crazy writing it. This chap is in Draco's POV then it switches to 3rd person POV, i think that's right... Then it switches back, but I'll tell you if it does!

Anyways... I don't own anything, and most likely never will. Please RR!

----- Chapter 8: Dirt ----- (Draco's POV, mainly)

I saw the figure step into the room. 'Just great. Granger falls asleep and leaves me to deal with her midnight visitors.'

Hermione's 'guest' wandered over to the bed and bent down. He/she inspected her face which was lit by the moonlight coming in through the open window above her bed. By doing so, he/she shed some light on him/herself as well. (haha, get it? I know, I know, shut up.) A spark of recognition flared in my mind, it was Raz!

(Now I switch to 3rd person, k?)

Draco decided to see what would happen before rushing, though reluctantly, to Hermione's rescue. Then, she would have to repay him.

Tossing his carkeys onto the bedside table, Raz lifted the sheets and climbed into bed next to Hermione. He moved her limp, sleeping form into a position so that he was cradling her in his arms while her head rested on his chest.

Draco was so surprised, yet strangely outraged and possibly even... jealous?, he tried to stand up too quickly. He banged his head on the bottom of the desk and promptly knocked himself out.

(Next Morning)(Draco's POV)

I woke up with a major headache. I looked around for what had woken me, immediately finding the source. Hermione had woken up and found Raz. She now had him at wandpoint, and was yelling at him.

I walked up behind her and grabbed the wand.

She jerked her head towards me, shooting daggers with her eyes, "Give it back, Malfoy, I'm not gonna hurt-"

"-If you're not going to hurt him, then why do you need the wand?" I cut her off.

"Him? Ha!" Raz speaks for the first time, "Your little friend is funny, 'Mione. Or did you tell him I'm a guy?"

His voice was soft, just loud enough for us all to hear. He sounded just like a guy, but also a girl. I find myself longing for him to speak again, the voice was so... so... intriguing. It was so soothing, I felt myself waver, knees shaking slightly.

"Stop it, Raz. You're doing it again," Hermione scolds.

He laughed at this, his laughter sounding like a spring brook flowing over smooth stones down a mountain, into a valley pond, then running into a- 'Wait, wait, this is a girl I'm talking about... Hermione said he's a girl.'

"He's a GIRL!?!" I yelled.

Casting an Imperturbable Charm on the room, Hermione said calmly and quietly, "'He's been a girl the whole time. I thought that you would remember that small bit of Latin we learned last year. If you did, you would know that 'Raz', in Latin, means 'my secret'. I gave her that nickname because only she and I know that she's a girl." She smiled.

So that was what they'd been talking about last night on the phone. But, if Hermione had protested against her, Raz, coming over, then why had she come anyways?

"I'm leaving," Raz said, exiting through the door Hermione unlocked for him-sorry-her.

"Good," Hermione said, opening the door.

"You can't be angry about this, Hermione," Raz said.

"Don't tell me what I can and can't be angry about, Raz."

"Please. I can't leave with you like this."

"Raz. It's okay. But you should probably leave for work now."

Hermione pulled her into a hug as Raz nodded. Then she grabbed her keys, waved to me, and left.

As soon as the door had closed, I spoke, "Well. Now we're even."

"Even for what?"

"Dirt. Secrets. Possible rumours. You know what I mean."

"Oh no you don't," she said. She grabbed my hand and pulled me all the way down the hall, down the stairs, and into the pub. It was actually quite painful.

Sitting down abruptly at a vacant table, Hermione motioned for me to take the seat across from her.

"What was that about?" I ask, rubbing my wrist as Hermione poured us a cup of tea. I looked around. The pub had been transformed for breakfast; a steaming pot of tea had been placed on each table, as well as the kind of menus they had used at the Yule Ball, but with breakfast items.

"You will not tell anyone about what you saw last night or this morning. Alight?" she said nervously.

"What about the kiss at the rave?" I leaned forward, grinning. Shouldn't have done that. I should've expected the slap, but it still stung and left a red, handprint-shaped mark.

"Raz and I are just friends, Malfoy. And if you wanna keep that pretty hair of yours, I suggest you find something more substantial about me to go shouting about." Having said this, she stood up to leave. "Right, then, I'm off. Again, if you tell a single living soul about this, I'll make your life miserable."

"I'd like to see you try," I replied.

"Well, I seem to recall a little incident I walked in on involving you and a certain red-headed Gryffindor." She smirked, and with that, she started off, only to be stopped by two owls carrying Hogwarts letters.

--------------------------

There ya go! I'm not going to dwell on the 'incident' Hermione mentioned at the end, so don't bother asking me. If you think hard, you might figure out who it is. I stopped typing here 'cuz my Nirvana cd ('Nevermind') is only about an hour long. Plus, it was a good cliffy. I guess...

Ah, well, don't let me waste your time! PLEASE REVIEW!

Love and kisses to my reviewers!  
(Sorry, there goes my sanity again. )


	9. Deity

WARNING:  
THIS CHAP CONTAINS **THONGS** AND MALFOY BEING CALLED A CUPCAKE

THANK YOU! to everyone that either flamed me or actually found something nice to say. both are always appreciated.

----- Chapter 9: Deity ----- (Hermione's POV)

The owls came soaring past my head and landed on the table where Draco was still sitting. 'Ah, well, so much for a triumphant exit,' I sighed.

"Hey, Granger, this is one's yours. It has to be if there's a head badge in it," Draco said sarcastically.

"I wouldn't be so sure," I said, looking in my packet, "This one's got a badge in it too."

"You know what this means..."

"Yeah. It means we're the new Head Boy and Girl."

"Actually, I was going to say that it confirms the fact that Dumbledore's off his rocker."

"Oh, shut it, Malfoy," I spat, chucking my new Head Girl badge at him.

"Now, now, Granger. Don't make me give you a detention as my first act on duty as a Head Boy. Please control your temper."

"Oh, come on, Malfoy. You can't possibly be serious!"

"And what if I am, Granger?"

"Then you've gone nutters. I'm leaving." Then, waving my school supplies list in the air, I added, "Shopping to do, you know."

"Wait!" Malfoy scrambled to catch up with me as I walked out into the hustle and bustle of Diagon Alley.

"What," I said, turning to face him.

"Well," he blushed slightly, "I've never been here without me mum, and... well... Will you let me go shopping with you, and you can, um, you can help me?"

I started to laugh, causing him to turn even redder from embarrassment, and possibly a bit of anger. "Well, I guess so..."

"Cool. Let's go get the books first."

"Alright," I sighed and led the way. 'Great, I'm shopping with Draco Malfoy. What a strange week.'

After getting all of our books, including a new one called:

**Leadership and Rebellion: A Guide to Living a Complete Life**,

Draco went to get both of our kit additions for Potions class while I stayed behind.

"Hey! Get your nose out of that book, Granger! You owe me fifty-seven sickles for the equipment," Malfoy called ten minutes or so later.

"But the addition kits are only fifty each."

"Yeah. Fifty for the kit and seven for my ice-cream," he replied, once again leaning forward, grinning rather childishly.

'I hope this doesn't become a habit for him to smile like that. He looks like a cute little kid. Wait, cute?'

"Fine, here." I shoved the money into his hand.

"Now the only thing left is robes and other clothes," Malfoy commented.

"Hey," I said, backing away, "you can do that yourself. I'm not helping you buy footy-pajamas." I had a mental flash of him in bunny-rabit footy-pj's and started to giggle.

"Granger. Quit thinking of me like that. I'd prefer that you picture me in a thong. Preferably green, but red is alright." He smirked.

"Ugh! That's bloody disgusting, Malfoy! Ew!" I exclaimed. 'How cruel could he possibly be? Imprinting that image in my mind?... He'd look much sexier in boxers... Satin boxers... Ugh. I really should stop thinking of him like this.'

"So you in? Maybe we can both get a thong." He smirked again, waiting for my reaction.

I composed myself before replying coolly, "I will if you do."

He looked a little surprised, but said, "Deal. But let's get them first. No hanging around and stalling, right?"

"Well, let's go, then!" I said. I think my enthusiasm scared him a bit. Solely to frighten him more, I grabbed his hand and pulled him through the crowds. We were practically running... Well... I was running and he was being dragged along by the arm. I laughed.

"I'm sorry, but I have yet to find a reason that being dragged by a mudblood to go thong shopping is funny."

"It's not that. Look."

He looked in the window. The place was packed full of Hogwarts' students.

"OK. Now THAT's not funny," he commented.

"Hey. You and I made a deal. I'm not ashamed," I said, smiling evilly.

"Yeah, because you're a girl!"

"After you fruitcake!" I said, and pushed him in.

In the 'Undergarments' section, we found the table with the thongs.

"Don't you ever call me that again, Granger."

"Shut up, Cupcake." I picked up a silk red thong, a navy-blue one with beads on the straps, and a plain black one. Then, grabbing Malfoy's arm, once again, I dragged him into a dressing room with me.

"What do you think you're doing?" he asked, pulling his arm from my grasp.

"We are here to try on our thongs," I replied calmly and without hesitation.

"Well, could you try yours on in a different stall?"

"They're all taken," I lied, starting to unbutton my robes. "Here. Could you be a dear and unbutton the last one?" I asked politely and innocently. I turned around.

He looked away, and unbuttoned the last one.

"Thanks," I muttered. I handed him the red silky one, smiling at his look of disgust.

"Which one are you trying on?"

I held up the blue one and the black one, "I know I'm already getting the black one, but what do you think about the blue one?"

"Remind me not to ask you anything EVER again."

"Bariarde," I muttered with a flick of my wand. A curtain appeared, separating the area in half, making it smaller than before. A minute later I decided to check on Malfoy. I had chosen to get the blue one also, and I wanted to see how he was getting along with it.

"Hey, Malfoy? You got it on? What do you think?"

"Yes, I do have it on, and I think it's like a slingshot."

I laughed, "Can I see it, then?"

There was a pause, I could practically see him cringing in disgust, "...NO!"

"Fine!" I smiled, "But remember, you have to get it!"

"I know. But I'm not gonna wear it."

"I'm going to wear mine."

I could see him cringe again, "Please keep that information to yourself."

"I wonder if Harry'll like it. I know Ron won't. He doesn't like the ones with the beads."

I could almost hear him cringe, "Harry and Ron are going to see you in a thong? I don't believe that."

"Shut up, muffin."

"Wait, you've owned these torture contraptions before?"

"Yes. I didn't think you'd want to know that, though."

"Well, do you know how to get them off?"

I couldn't help laughing. Malfoy was stuck in a thong. "You want me to come over there and help?"

"NO! I can do it myself."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, honeybun."

"What's with all the gay names?"

"Well. I'm in a shop. With a guy. A pureblood. A SLYTHERIN. A male pureblood slytherin shopping for thongs. I simply can't help it!"

"Fine. I got it off. Let's go."

"Okay. But we still have to buy them."

"Alright, alright! Let's just get this over with."

We left the dressing room and headed over to the cash register, getting in line behind Parvati Patil and a girl with red-blonde hair.

"Lavender?" I asked.

The girl with the red-blonde hair turned. It was Lavender Brown.(AN: Victoria, that's for you.)

"Hey, Hermione. How are you? You like my hair?" she asked.

"Yeah. It's cool! Hey, Parvati."

"Hey, Hermione," Parvati answered, "Who're you here with? A guy? He's cute. Aren't you going to introduce us?"

They both started giggling. I turned around. Malfoy was looking the other way towards the door. I smiled, laughing hysterically in my mind. They hadn't recognized it was Malfoy.

"Oh," I answered, "that's Fruitcake."

"What, he's gay?" gasped Lavendar.

"No, I'm just calling him that because I can," I smiled, "Hey, _sexy_. They want to know your name."

Draco turned around, "Huh? Didn't I tell you not to call me that?" Then he saw Lavendar and Parvati, "Um. Hi."

The clerk had finished with Parvati and Lavender while we talked and impatiently called, "Next?"

I put my two thongs on the counter, "Cupcake-boy! Hey! Where's your thong?"

"You're getting a thong?" Parvati looked surprised.

"Yeah. You like his?" I held it up, grinning manically, "It's pure silk!"

"That's his? As in, for him? Draco Malfoy?" Parvati asked.

"Yep. The other two are mine. But you can't tell anyone," I replied.

"Don't worry. We won't," Lavendar promised. But with a sneaky glance between Parvati and herself, they headed off.

"Great," said Malfoy, "Now the whole school will know by lunch!"

"You underestimate me, Malfoy. I'm not going to let it spread around that easily." And with another flick of my wand, I cast a memory charm on both girls as they headed out the door.

"Hmph."

We soon left the shop after paying and receiving many strange glances from the store clerk.

"That went well," I commented.

"Remind me to NEVER make a deal with you EVER again."

I smiled and continued to walk down the street next to my arch nemesis. Not to mention, I was carrying a shopping bag full of thongs. 'Isn't life surprising.'

-----------------------------

OK! I hope you got a laugh out of that chap. If you did PLEASE REVIEW!!! Thank you to AnimeLover14, I think that's your user name, sorry if I got it wrong . Have a good Thursday!  
-hsg9


	10. Dorms

A/N: Hi! I'm in Korea. (For those of you who care.) I just got here and I've met one person so far. She is a member on here, too. Okay, I'll shut up and let you read the story. Don't forget to review! (please) I don't own anything, and probably never will. But I'm okay with that.

-------Chapter 10: Dorms --------- (Hermione's POV)

As we walked into the inn, Draco said, "I think I need a drink after that... experience."

"Go ahead, I'm not going to keep you."

"Right, then. See you," he replied, heading off towards the pub.

'Poor guy, must've given him a scare... Wait! This is Malfoy! He's been so strange lately... Nice, maybe... I wonder what he's playing at... Probably planning something... Hmmm.'

I continued thinking as I dragged my light bag of clothes, along with Malfoy's bag of new hair care products up the stairs. Conceited git had bought his own weight in hair gel.

As I reached my room, I heard yelling. Quickly unlocking the door, I found the source.

Ron was standing in the middle of my room holding a pair of Malfoy's boxers. I knew they were his because they were dark green with the Malfoy crest in silver. Harry was holding an identical pair, his eyes fixed on Ron. Laughter shone through Harry's eyes but he dared not even snigger at the situation in front of Ron.

"HERMIONE GRANGER! WHY DO YOU HAVE DRACO MALFOY'S UNDERWEAR IN YOUR ROOM!" Ron yelled at me. Harry started to laugh, not being able to hold it in any longer. Tears started to leak out of the corners of his eyes.

"Ron, you're overreacting," I snatched the boxers out of his hand.

"NO, I'M NOT! THIS IS RIDICULOUS! WHY DO YOU HAVE MALFOY'S BOXERS IN YOUR ROOM?" Ron wouldn't calm down.

"If you would just listen, I would tell you." I was stalling. The real reason was because I had lost some of mine in the wash and borrowed some of his until I could get more. "Look," I walked over to the door connecting Draco's room to mine and opened it. I walked in and the boys followed. Harry stopped laughing.

Ron spotted a WW (Wizard's Wireless) on Malfoy's dresser. Walking over to look at it, he said, "Hermione, he's got one like you."

"Well they all look basically the same, Ron," Harry said.

"He probably wouldn't miss this, right 'Mione? I mean, he has enough entertainment as it is. Instead of watching WizTV, he watches himself in the mirror," Harry and I started laughing. "And instead of listening to this, he would probably have more fun listening to himself talk," Ron continued.

At this I started laughing harder. It was true; the conceited little prat was exceedingly self-centered.

"Who wants dinner? I could order in," I asked.

We agreed on pizza and sodas. A house elf brought it up and we had fun talking about our summers. At the end we sat around the fire and had hot cocoa. Much like what I had done with Draco the previous night.

I had been sitting, thinking about what had been going on between me and Draco for the past day or so when Ron said, "I wonder who the new heads are."

I spat out some of my cocoa. Quickly casting a cleaning spell, I said, "Umm, well... It's umm... It's me and Malfoy."

After that it was Ron's turn to spew a little of his hot chocolate. "WHAT? FERRET-BOY IS NOW HEAD-FERRET-BOY?" Ron exploded.

"Ron. Calm down. It doesn't mean anything, it's probably just Malfoy's father messing with the ministry," Harry said, "What's the problem? I mean, it's not as if we'll have to spend more time with him or see more of that jumped up git."

"That's true, Ron. I don't understand why you're so worried," I said.

"Well, alright. I guess not.," Ron seemed to shrink before my eyes as his rage dispersed.

"Ron, we'd better get off to the Leaky Cauldron and get some sleep. We've got to get up early to get all our stuff, remember?" Harry said, standing up.

I stood up too and we both helped Ron to his feet.

"Good bye you two. I hope I see you around tomorrow. Do you want to meet in the pub downstairs tomorrow night for dinner?" I asked.

"Alright. Night, 'Mione," Ron said, opening the door.

"Night," Harry said, placing a quick kiss on my cheek and taking his cloak from the dresser.

"Goodnight," I called as they walked off down the hallway, "See you tomorrow."

They waved before turning and disappearing down the stairs.

I closed the door and leaned against it, only to be knocked forward when it was suddenly pushed forward. "What, Ron, did you forget- Oh! It's you. Come in."

Malfoy walked casually in. "Lost my key," he muttered, wandering into his room and closing the door quietly.

"Okay…" I said to myself. What was up with Malfoy?

"Oi! Mudblood! Keep out of my room!" Draco yelled suddenly causing me to jump in surprise. Okay. Something was definitely wrong.

I didn't find out what was wrong the next day. Or any other day that week, for that matter. Malfoy and I didn't talk any more, and there were no fights, either. I snuck back into his room one night to return the borrowed boxers and found a letter on his desk. But before I could open it, I heard someone in the corridor, preventing me from going any further.

The night before we would depart on the train, Harry, Ron, and I went out for ice cream at Fortiscue's after dinner. We chatted a while until it got dark, then went to Fred and George's shop to visit. I made my excuses and left around nine, claiming I wanted to go back to my room and make sure my homework was done and all my things were packed. I hugged the twins and Harry and Ron, all of them dismissing me easily enough.

Walking down the Alley, I stepped down a side street and disappeared.

The first thing I heard in the morning was, "Granger! Get out of the bloody bed."

Malfoy, what a useful alarm clock. Dunno why he decided to be nice, if you can call it that, and wake me up.

"Why are you still in bed?" he asked, walking over to me.

"Tell you in a sec," I said groggily. "Over there, in my top drawer," I pointed, "Bottle... Aspirin…"

"How many?" he asked.

I held up four fingers, "Three."

"Are you sure? I thought Aspirin was deadly or something," he replied, handing me the small pills.

"Better off dead than with a headache like mine," I commented, standing up shakily.

"What happened to you?" Draco asks looking me up and down.

"Raz sent me an owl last night. I went to another rave. The music was wicked awesome. Head-banging should be made illegal, though," I said.

"Really. You know, if you were out later than midnight I could get you in trouble, you know," he said with an evil grin.

"You wouldn't," I said, taking a step towards him, "Ouch! What's wrong with my shoes?" I look down, "Ah. Not again! I took the wrong shoes."

"Wrong shoes?" Draco questioned.

"Everyone takes off their shoes when we dance. You feel the music better. I wonder who has mine..." I sat and bent down to untie the boots.

"And what is this, I wonder?" Draco said, his voice full of malicious laughter.

"What," I said warily.

"There's something on the back of your neck," he laughed. "Granger! You've got lipstick on the back of your neck!" Then mockingly serious he added, "Is there something I should know?"

"What? I don't understand!" I rushed over to the mirror and held up my hair. Sure enough there was a dark red smudge on the back of my neck.

"Finally something I understand and you don't! Ha! Granger, I think someone kissed you."

"I know that, you twit, but who? I mean, why? How?" I was totally at a loss for reason.

"Well. Who... I can answer that, it was a girl, ugh. And why? I don't know, I mean you're so unappealing, wait, that's not it... Oh! I have the word! Hideous! That's it."

"Bugger off, Malfoy," I said and pushed past him. I pulled off my shirt, knowing that there was an undershirt underneath.

"Ahhh! I think I've gone blind!" cried Malfoy, hiding his eyes.

"Shut up, Malfoy! You'll wake the whole building!" I threw my shirt at him, laughing.

The shirt missed and he swaggered over coolly and leaned up against the dresser, "Well, we've narrowed down the suspects. It was a girl, hence the lipstick, and she was most likely high on something or other because it was... you," he pointed at me, "that she was kissing."

"Actually, Malfoy," I walked into the bathroom, not bothering to close the door and started to change into jeans, "We haven't narrowed it down to anything yet. You see at raves, girls aren't... well... See, girls aren't the only ones who wear lipstick. Some of the guys wear it as well. Don't ask why, just deal with it. Also, they weren't high because they probably would have missed if they were. So I think we're at a dead end." I hopped out of the bathroom, still pulling my jeans up.

"Argh! Granger! Give us a warning next time, okay?" he commented, turning around.

"Well, I'd better start packing. Have you already done yours?" I asked, waving my wand.

"Yes. I thought we weren't allowed to do magic out of school, Miss Perfection," he said.

"Ah, yes," I waved it again causing all of my belongings to be packed neatly in my trunk, "but apparently they changed the rule. Head boy and girl are allowed. But only simple things like levitation. And, naturally, no magic in front of the muggles."

"Oh, well, blah blah blah! I don't believe you, you know. You filthy Mudblood. Trying to trick me into doing magic, now, are you?"

There was a knock at the door and the innkeeper, Ed, walked in, "Can I help you with your trunks? Mister Malfoy and Misses Granger? I have a muggle taxi waiting on the street, on the muggle side of the building, for you."

I looked at Malfoy, "Is that alright with you? Sharing a cab with a 'filthy Mudblood', I mean."

"Yeah, sure, whatever. Let me get my trunk," Malfoy headed off into the other room.

"You might want to wear a cloak Mister Malfoy. It's raining broomsticks and cauldrons out there!" Ed called after him.

Malfoy waved a hand to show he was listening.

"Oh! That reminds me!" I said, "I finally have a reason to wear my new coat!" I had gotten a coat the day before while I was shopping with Malfoy. It was dark red with golden trimmings.

"Oi! Granger, you coming or shall I Wingaurdium Leviosa you to the taxi?" Malfoy called. He was part pulling and part levitating his trunk down the hallway outside our rooms. "Actually, that doesn't sound like a bad idea... Don't think the driver would be too enthusiastic about it, though," he muttered, turning to go down the stairs.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm coming. Unless you can do a better job of levitating your trunk, I doubt that you could levitate me," I performed a perfect weightless spell on my trunk and carried it down the hall and the stairs, passing an amazed Malfoy and reaching the taxi first.

"My, what a strong girl you are, sweetie!" the driver said, "Let me go ahead and get that for you."

I quickly took off the spell, causing me to falter a bit, but still getting it into the trunk with the assistance of the driver.

Malfoy came out behind me and lugged his trunk in as well, without the assistance of the driver, whose attention was on me, "What a nice coat! May I help you into the car?" He held the door open and helped me in.

Malfoy, a disgruntled look on his face, went around to the other side and slid in.

"What's wrong, Malfoy? Your trunk too heavy?" I asked teasingly.

"Shut up," was his only reply. He knew better than to call me a 'Mudblood' in front of the taxi driver. Personally, I wouldn't have cared.

"Your girlfriend here's a strong one. Did you know she carried that suitcase thing all by herself?" the driver commented from the front seat.

"Not my girlfriend," is all that came from Malfoy. He was all hunched over, studying the Hogwarts Express ticket interestedly, avoiding my eyes. I started giggling like a giddy schoolgirl. "What?" came Malfoy's angry response to this light-hearted behaviour.

"Nothing. It's just that you look like a little kid when you pout," I said, leaning over and tucking a piece of his blonde hair behind his ear.

"I do not!" he said grumpily, swatting at my hand and receding further into the corner of the seat.

"See what I mean?" I said.

"You two are a good match, I think. A little young, but a good pair," the driver said, looking back at me.

That kept both of us silent for the rest of the ride to Kings' Cross Station.

Once we got there, Draco didn't bother to get me a cart. But I didn't care. We hung around a group of muggle tourists. I tried to point them in the right direction towards the trains they would be taking. While my back was turned, however, Malfoy decided to confuse them. The poor American tourists couldn't even figure out from the tickets which trains to get on. After Malfoy's input, they got angry at us so we headed to the train early.

After going through the barrier, we got our things unloaded onto the train. We were both bored, so we decided to explore. We found a new car that we had never seen before. It had seats along the sides of the car and it looked rather like an underground (metro/subway) train's car. We had fun swinging on the bars and racing up and down the long passageway. Before long, an hour had passed and we decided to go and have breakfast at the café in the train station. We were free to do more since the train didn't leave for another two hours, and we didn't have to haul our luggage around.

At the Café de Tren (French for Café of Train, in case you couldn't figure it out.). We had tea and scones with jam, slices of different kinds of cheese with bread, and fresh fruit.

Once finished, we still had some time left, so I took Malfoy to a place he had never been before. Mark's & Spencer's. We bought some chocolate and I had fun showing him the muggle clothes, electronics, and his favourite, the toys. It was interesting to see his face light up at something so simple as a Jack-in-the-Box. I couldn't help laughing and he flung a talking beanbag ball at me. When it hit the floor, the electronic voice came on and he was transfixed. I couldn't resist buying it for him. I had a brief image in my mind of Lucius Malfoy playing with it.

We made it back to the train just in time. Everyone else was on with a few just coming in. We went up to the front and ate the leftover chocolate while we watched the train station disappear slowly behind us.

The trip was uneventful. Malfoy and I went into the prefects compartment and gave them their patrolling duties, dividing them into pairs. Each of them was coupled with someone from a different house to help build inter-house relations. After instructing them, we went off to sit with our respective friends. I actually kind of missed Malfoy while I sat through hours of Quidditch talk.

When I went back to the Head Boy and Girl compartment for a book, Malfoy was already there eating his lunch of Pumpkin Pasties and Chocolate Frogs.

"Aw, did the food cart already come by?" I asked, plopping down on the seat.

"No, I just conjured this all up. Don't be stupid, Mudblood!" he replied cruelly.

"Okay. Your mood swings are driving me crazy. What is your bloody problem! I mean, one minute you're nice or at least decent to me, then you turn around and become a mean, heartless jerk!" I said, standing up and waving my arms for emphasis.

"Alright! I get it! Just sit DOWN! I'm not having mood swings! It's just... sometimes I feel like being nice, and sometimes you just make me angry. I can't explain it," he said. He pushed some food over to me, "The food cart lady said she'll be back after she does the rest of the train if we want something else." And with that, he started eating again.

We reached Hogsmeade in due time, and made the traditional trek to the waiting carriages, Hagrid calling for the first years over our heads. He waved hello to Ron, Harry, and me as we passed. I got separated from my friends when I stopped to point a first year in the direction of the waiting boats.

The castle was the same as always except a small make-shift building out on the grounds close to Hagrid's hut. I was too tired to question, so I simply climbed into a carriage that contained none other than the King of Ice himself.

"Bloody brilliant, this is," I muttered.

We sat in silence as the carriage made its way up the muddy drive, and hurried indoors as not to get soaked by the pouring rain. This was not a good day.

At the feast, we were allowed to sit at our own house tables and afterwards were called to leave first. Walking together down the center aisle, we could both hear people whispering.

I leaned over, "What are they saying?"

"What, you think I can understand them? They're probably wondering why you're asking bloody stupid questions," he replied coolly.

"Don't make me hex you, you twit," I took out my wand, hid it in my sleeve, and pressed the point of it into the small of his back to stress my point. He squirmed a bit as we exited through the big oak doors.

Professor Dumbledore was waiting outside to take us to our dorms. As we were walking along, me standing beside Dumbledore and Malfoy lagging behind, Dumbledore commented, "Beautiful weather, is it not."

We heard a scornful laugh from behind us. Malfoy quickly stifled it and said, "But sir... It's raining"

"I know that, thank you, Mister Malfoy. But rain is beautiful. Any weather is beautiful if you really look at it closely," he replied. "It's good that there is a change in the weather. I was getting rather tired of the constant sunshine.

"I agree, Professor," I said as we stopped in front of a painting of a dragon and a lion asleep in a grassy field. Dumbledore prodded the two sleeping animals awake.

"Password?" the lion asked in a loud, confident voice.

"They haven't decided on one yet, Grey," said the dragon in a sly, smooth, and quiet voice. The sound sent shivers down my spine.

Malfoy unfortunately noticed this, and while Dumbledore was instructing the two animals in the picture, Malfoy whispered in my ear, "I wonder who's dorm this will be." I shivered. How can my enemy do that?

"Both of yours," said Dumbledore, turning around. Malfoy yanked his head away from my shoulder. "The password is 'bundled'."

"What kind of password is that?" Malfoy murmured, stepping into the common room behind Dumbledore.

"I think it's... interesting," I said, trying to keep Malfoy from acting like a complete twit in front of Dumbledore.

"Suck up," whispered Draco in the same way as before.

"Will you quit that!" I shouted, completely losing it. Dumbledore looked at me questioningly and Malfoy just smirked.

"This little... spat... has brought me to my next announcement. You will both be sharing this dorm. Miss Granger, your room is on the left. Mister Malfoy, the right one is yours. I'll leave you both to it," Dumbledore stated before leaving the room.

Malfoy and I just stood in awe for a moment, trying to rationalize the situation. It didn't make sense, there were supposed to be two different, not to mention separate, dorms for the head boy and girl.

"House unity! Hah! All they're going to get from this little arrangement is Hell," I commented. Honestly, I was trying to be mature, but I couldn't help being sarcastic.

"Oh, come on, Granger. You know you love this little idea of Dumbledore's. I mean, who wouldn't love to spend time and share a dormitory with someone like me?"

"Umm, well, just about everyone," I said, "Come on. Let's look around."

The common room was medium sized with a roaring fire illuminating the few chairs and couches scattered around it. There were shelves stacked with books lining the back wall. The books only stopped at each end of the wall and in the center where there were solid oak doors. I stepped into the middle door. There was a huge bathroom on the other side. It had a long counter on either side and a gigantic bathtub in the middle of the room. Two showers, one either side, and a room at the end that the toilet occupied.

I ran into Malfoy as he was walking into the bathroom from his room. We both fell into the tub which was fortunately empty.

"Oi! Granger! Watch where you're going. Almost bloody killed me!" he shouted, rubbing his head.

"Sorry. What's your room look like?" I asked, helping him, yes, I know, helping, him off his feet.

He swatted away my hand and stood up, brushing himself off, "Normal. How about yours?"

"I haven't seen mine yet," I answered.

We headed into mine through the door that connected it to the bathroom. There was a closet with all of my clothes hanging up in it and a bed, of course. A dresser stood to the left and a desk was positioned against the wall so it looked out the window.

My trunk stood at the foot of my bed, and my books had been piled on top of the dresser. I pulled one off and plopped it on my bed. Not noticing that Malfoy was still there, I pulled off my robes revealing a yellow tank top I had been wearing underneath.

Unfortunately, Malfoy had just turned from looking out the window and I caught him off guard. "Enjoying the show?" I asked nonchalantly.

"What show?" he answered back.

"Huh," I said and continued changing. I put on my pants which were black with bright yellow and blue stripes everywhere while Malfoy politely turned and continued to stare out the window.

I walked up behind him, trying to figure out what had him so transfixed. His eyes were situated on the little make-shift building out on the grounds.

"What do you suppose that's for?" he asked me.

"No clue," I said, moving so I was standing beside him.

"I thought you were the smart one," he said softly and smirked.

I laughed lightly, "Whatever it is, I bet Hagrid's teaching it."

"Mmm," was his only reply. He turned to go, "Well, I'm not walking out there in the rain."

"Whatever, Malfoy. Go to bed."

"But won't you be scared of the mean old lightning and thunder?" he said in a baby voice.

"Well, I just might climb in bed with you, then," I answered, whacking him with a pillow.

He turned around and looked at me, stunned.

"Goodnight," I said in a sing-song voice, jumping into bed.

"Yeah, yeah," Malfoy waved his hand and disappeared through his door on the other side of the bathroom.

--------------------

I hope you liked this chapter! It's a lot longer than my others. I rewarded all my readers for being so patient with an extra long chapter. I can't wait until I figure out what I'm going to write next. Please Review!


	11. Decorations and Arrangements

Hey guys! I got great reviews from all my readers, thank you! If any of you could find the time, I hope you could send me an email that has some news about what's goin' on in the Mother Country. I don't feel that disconnected, I mean, we have CNN here, but there's just Asian news on. (Duh, I'm in South Korea)Thank you again to all of you who reviewed!  
Don't own. Don't sue.

----- Chapter 11: Dungeons ----- (Draco POV)

I woke up in the morning hoping it was all just a dream. But when I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was that weird talking beanbag Granger had bought for me.

The next of my five senses was my nose, something smelled funny.

I got up and walked into the bathroom. She wasn't in there, but a wet towel on the floor told me she had already taken a shower. I scratched the back of my head, ruffling up my already messy hair and looked at my watch. It was six in the bleeding morning! How she could be awake at this God-forsaken hour was beyond me. Maybe breakfast was ready.

I walked through her room which she had redone. The main colours were now bright green and soft yellow with blue walls and carpet. Weird… I continued on into the common room. There she was, sitting in the middle of the room, candles lit all around her with a stick of something that had smoke coming off of it. She was sitting in a cross-legged position and had a book on her lap. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing funny. "Granger?" I asked tentatively.

When she didn't answer, I decided to get some clothes on. I walked towards my bedroom, studying the painting that she had hung next to it, and tripped. Falling face-forward over the back of a couch, I yelled. Well, what would you have done?

I looked at the furniture for the first time that morning. It had all been arranged at odd angles, including the one that was pushed up against the door.

I walked over to Granger and bent down close to her ear, "GRANGER!" That gained me no response, so I thought back to the night before. I bent down once again and whispered softly, "Granger…"

She jumped, "WHAT?" This surprised me and, once again, I fell backwards, this time over an armchair.

She stood up laughing, "I heard you fall before, but I didn't think you would be stupid enough to fall again."

"What have you done to the common room?" I asked.

"Feng Shui," she answered simply, blowing out the candles.

"What?!" I asked, a look of confusion on my face.

"Feng Shui. The art of-"

"-paper folding?"

"No. It's where you arrange furniture, use colours, place objects, and use numbers and symbols to channel Sheng Qi towards you and benefit your well-being," she answered, walking into her brightly coloured bedroom.

"…What???" I asked, completely mystified. I followed her into her bedroom where she was putting on some robes.

"Would you like to join me for breakfast, Malfoy?"

"No I wouldn't like to," she looked at me. "Ah, alright then," I conceded. "Let me go get dressed and do my hair."

As I put on my robes, I had taken a shower the night before, I tried to think of a reason I had given in to her request. It was… like, just when she looked at me… I couldn't help it… I mean, it wasn't exactly like she had done that puppy-dog eyes thing, but I just couldn't help giving in. I continued to contemplate the mysteries of women in general while I carefully gelled my hair until every strand was firmly set in place.

"Sorry to speed bump you, Malfoy, but we have half an hour to have breakfast and get to our first classes." Hermione called from the common room.

"Coming!" I yelled. Checking my hair once more, I ran out of the bathroom. That was a mistake.

I promptly tripped over the coffee table that had been placed right in front of the bathroom door. I hit the floor hard and heard Hermione snickering. "What?!" I yelled, "Don't tell me that having a table right outside the bathroom doorway will decrease our anguish. Seeing as it INFLICTS pain."

"Actually, you're wrong, on both accounts. I just put that there so I could see you fall," she replied, walking over and helping me up.

"You sadistic women need to be locked up. I mean," I took her hand and let her help me to my feet, "us poor men have to deal with all of your mood swings and stuff. Maybe we should be able to start crying and then get angry if you don't comfort us soon enough."

"Very funny, Malfoy. Now let's GO!"

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Thank you for reading!


	12. Dungeons

Thank you for reviewing! If you did. If you didn't, I understand. Well, not really, but that's OKAY! It's okay to be stupid. It's okay to get stuck on an escalator for seven hours when the electricity goes out. (In case you didn't exactly get that, email me and I'll explain it to you.)

I have not, cannot  
Pay my dues  
So please, oh please  
Do not sue

----- Chapter 12: Dungeons ----- (Draco's POV)

At breakfast, Crabbe and Goyle bolted down their food, eager to get to Potions where they could sleep. I stood up, stretching my sore legs out. I'd have to get Granger back later, but for now, I'd just go to potions.

As I was walking out, I saw Granger rise as well, pulling her friend Weasley off of her. He started to follow her, and grabbed her hand as she started to walk off briskly. She spun quickly to face him and pushed him back to his seat. She got up in his face and started talking hastily, then she stood, straightened her robes, and walked off towards the doorway where I was standing. She swiftly walked past me muttering.

"What happened?" I asked, falling into step next to her.

"Why should you care?" she asked huffily.

"Well, I'm sorry to interfere with your personal affairs, but what happened between you and Weasley?"

"Look," she turned to face me, "I don't see how what happened is any of your bloody business."

"Now you look," I said, walking forward. I grabbed her shoulders and pushed her into a nearby classroom, "I'M SORRY IF I'M NOT THE SAME HEART-LESS PRAT AS LAST YEAR! AND I'M SORRY FOR CARING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU. I'M ALSO SORRY BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS BLOODY WRONG WITH ME!"

She looked angry, "Alright, Malfoy. Whatever you say. But I hope you know that I don't believe you… THIS WAS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS IN THE FIRST PLACE!!"

"WELL, I'LL BE SURE TO NO LONGER INTERFERE WITH YOUR BOYFRIEND TROUBLES!!"

"WHAT?! WHY DO YOU THINK IT WAS ABOUT OUR RELATIONSHIP?! FOR YOUR INFORMATION, I DO NOT HAVE A BOYFRIEND!"

"WELL THAT FIGURES!! ... WAIT, WHAT ABOUT KRUM, THEN?" I could tell by the look on her face that I should never have said that. "Look, Granger, I'm sorry, I should never have said tha-"

She slapped me. She slapped me! How dare she slap me!

By the time I could react, she was gone. I sighed and opened the door, shifting my bag onto my other shoulder. Walking out, I bumped into Granger, both of us toppling to the floor.

"What were you standing there for?" I asked angrily.

"The bell rang," was all she replied as she picked up her parchment.

"What?" I asked, pulling her to her feet.

"The bell rang, you twit! We're late!"

"Well, it's your fault. You're the one who was yelling so much."

She snorted, "I was yelling? You're the one who started it," she jabbed a finger at me accusingly.

"Look, let's go ahead and go. We have potions first right?"

"Yes, let's go." I started to walk towards the dungeons.

"Uhh, Malfoy?"

"What?" I turned around.

She laughed and pointed down the opposite hallway, "It's this way."

**---------------**

Thanks guys for reading this far! I love you all! Well, you know what I mean. Review!


	13. Detention

Once again, another chapter for you "devoted" fans. Ha! Devoted fans, yeah right…. Sorry, I didn't mean that… I'm just… here.

Not mine. Like everything else…

----- Chapter 13: Detention ----- (Hermione's POV)

We walked in silence towards the dungeons. Neither of us had watches, so we didn't know just how late we actually were.

"Detention. Both of you," came Professor Snape's voice as I pushed open the door to the dungeons classroom.

"But…" I started.

"I said… Mr. Malfoy, Ms. Granger, DETENTION!"

I let out a heavy sigh. Detention on the first day of school. Not good, Hermione, not good.

I made my way to a seat. The one next to it was taken by Malfoy.

"You will also be working in pairs for this one. The person at your table, whom is sitting next to you, obviously, will be your partner for the rest of the year. Start now," Professor Snape said, waving his wand, causing the ingredients to appear on the board.

We worked peacefully through class, perfecting our Sensory Draft which causes the drinker to become senseless, mainly losing their sense of touch. Once we had put the stopper in our bottle that was to be tested, I took it to Professor Snape's desk. He looked at me, glared at the concoction, then looked away before saying, "Miss Granger, Mister Malfoy, would you please stay after class so we can arrange your detentions.

I rolled my eyes and sat down, putting my head in my hands, "What're we supposed to do now?" I asked Malfoy, who was looking rather guilty.

"I suppose we wait until the rest of the class is done," he answered, looking away. I couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or not, so I just sat and waited. Half an hour later, the bell rang and we waited until the last few people were gone before we approached Snape's desk.

"You will be serving detention together," he paused to relish our obvious anger. "Since you both have only been late once, it will be lines. Do it again, and I hand you over to Filch. Understand?"

"Yes, Professor," we recited.

"Be in the Transfiguration classroom at seven o'clock tonight. You need not bring anything but yourselves. You may go now," Snape finished reciting his instructions and looked back to the papers he was looking over.

We left the dungeons in silence, moving on to our next classes.

---------------

That night at dinner, I sat at the head's table, not wanting to listen to talk about the Quidditch practice Harry had had earlier. Unfortunately, Malfoy came and plopped down next to me.

"Don't you think we're going to be spending enough quality time together in detention?" I asked, pushing the peas around my plate with a fork.

"Look, Granger, I have a proposition for you. I've been tempted to tell many different people about that little friend of yours, Raz, was he?" I snorted. "What? You don't believe me? If I go over there and tell all of the Slytherins, would you be laughing then?"

"It wasn't that," I said, "Anyways, you wouldn't dare. If you do, I'll tell everyone in school you have a little bunny, named, what was it again?"

"Toffy. Listen, how about we have a truce?"

"That's a pathetic proposition. I have nothing to hide."

"Well, niether do I."

"Yeah right! What about that bunny?"

"That's not bad, what else?"

"One word. Thong." I grinned.

"Alright, alright, let's just go. We're going to be late, again," Malfoy stood up.

"Hold on, I'll be right there. Let me finish my pumpkin juice," I drank the rest quickly and followed Malfoy out of the great hall to detention.

We sat quietly until there was a loud bang out in the corridor, followed by a series of increasingly softer explosions that seemed to become more distant.

Filch and Snape, who had been talking quietly in the corner while keeping an eye on us, ran out of the room. As soon as they were gone, Malfoy cast a spell on his quill so it would keep writing while he wandered freely around the room.

"You know that detention is meant to be discipline, right?" I asked.

He simply mimicked me, rolling his eyes and flopping his tongue, before returning to his perusal of McGonagall's desk. He picked up a paper and his eyes grew wide, "The all-knowing Granger got a 5 out of 10 on her first paper of the year?"

"What?" I yelped. Jumping out of my seat, I snatched the paper out of his hands. It was only a scrap piece of parchment. I rolled it up and smacked him upside the head with it. "What'd you do that for?"

"Like I'd tell you…" I replied. I smiled and sat down in my seat. He came over and sat on my desk, smirking at me. "What do you want, Malfoy?" I asked, smiling up at him sweetly.

"If you weren't laughing at me earlier when I said I said I would tell, what were you laughing at?"

"Nothing."

"Well, it had to have been something. Tell me, Granger. Please?"

"Get down on your knees, kiss my feet, and beg as if your life depends on it," I replied, grinning.

"Never!" he cried in mock defiance before he scampered back to his seat as footsteps came down the corridor.

"Finished yet?" Filch asked, hobbling into the room.

"Yes, sir," we recited automatically, standing up and handing him our papers and quills.

"Alright, then. You can go," he scowled as we left.

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Thank you for reading! Please review!


	14. Downpour

Don't own, don't sue. Thank you to all my reviewers and faithful readers.

----- Chapter 14: Downpour ----- (Draco's POV)

­­­­­­­­­We walked down the corridor in silence, reaching our dormitory with no conversation to speak of. Granger headed towards her room, making her way between the irregularly placed furniture.

I went into the bathroom and brushed my teeth, trying to think of any reason she would have had to laugh at me during dinner. It was ridiculous! How dare she laugh at me, a pure-blood Slytherin!

"Oh Malfoy," I said aloud, "don't start that again. You just recently promised to squash, or at least start deflating your over-inflated ego. She was probably laughing at something that had happened earlier. Maybe a joke she heard, or something." I paused, I thought I had heard footsteps. "No need to worry," I reassured myself.

"No need to worry about what?" Granger smiled at me in the mirror.

While I had been staring into the sink, she had sneaked up behind me. I jumped, "Granger! Do you have a death wish? Because if not, leave me in PEACE!"

"Sorry, I was just wondering if you were going nutty. Talking to yourself and all," she lazily wandered back to her sink on the other side of the room.

I couldn't help staring as she swayed her hips ever so slightly, how could I not have noticed? Obviously she had grown up over the summer, a little more mature than sixth year, but Granger ever being considered attractive was mind-blowing.

I looked away quickly, but not quite fast enough.

"What, Malfoy. Never seen a girl in pajamas before?" she said laughing. She bent over the sink and proceeded to brush her teeth.

As she rinsed her toothbrush and I finished washing my face, there was a fork of lightning that illuminated the enormous window that had been placed at the end of the huge bath.

I glanced at Granger in time to see an involuntary shiver run down her back. There was no mistaking it, I could see it clearly through the thin tank top that she was wearing. I swear I saw her shivering more violently as she walked through the door and disappeared into her room without a word.

I followed her in after knocking on the open door. She was lying in bed with her back to me. "You need something?" she asked, turning over to face me.

Though concern was all that was in my mind, only sarcasm came out in a mimicking voice. I sounded like I was talking to a child, "Just wondering if you were scared of the mean old thunder and lightning."

"Yeah right Malfoy. But I could call your mommy to come down here and tuck you in, if you want."

"My mother hates me, Granger. Why would she do that?"

"Oh, sorry," she started to move as if she was going to get out of bed, but halfway through decided against it. "You know what? I'm too tired for an argument. Can I get a rain check on this one?"

I glimpsed the pouring rain through the window. "Alright, Granger, but only because it's raining. Next time you'd better be prepared." I turned on my heel and walked across the bathroom.

Closing my door I heard her say, "Goodnight, Malfoy."

"Goodnight, Hermione," I whispered softly.

A jolt went through my body. Had I just called her Hermione? Was I going soft… again? Had she put a spell on me? What's a rain check?

All of these thoughts took control of my head as I laid down to sleep. My eyes closed, and the flashes of lightning shone through my eyelids, the light coming in through the open curtains.

I woke, and groggily checked my watch. From what I could make out of the clock face, it was somewhere in the middle of the night. I searched for the source of my disturbance. I didn't have to pee, I wasn't thirsty, I wasn't hungry, then I heard some noises coming from the common room.

I rolled hesitantly out of bed and trod slowly into the common room. Granger was moving around the common room, opening every window on the two side walls.

"Here, don't just stand there, make yourself useful. Get the rain blankets from the couch and bring them over here. We need to spread them out under all of the windows so that they catch the rain and the floor doesn't get wet," she directed me from her position near the door.

For some reason, I found myself following her directions.

"How long have I been asleep?" I asked after we finished spreading the blankets out onto the floor on either side of the common room.

"Oh, only about ten minutes or so. This should improve the Qi in the common room greatly, don't you think? Oh, I love the rain, it's so beautiful, isn't it?" she rattled her words off so fast that I could barely understand her. She cringed as another flicker of lightning lit up the room, followed by a crack of thunder. (AN: Qi is pronounced 'chi', you know, the whole energy thing.)

"Are you okay?" I asked, noticing she was shivering violently.

"Yes, Malfoy, I'm fine. Just cold, you know. I'm going to bed."

"Are you going to sleep this time or are you going to wake me up again?" I enquired, testily.

"No, I'm fine, I just told you. I'm going to bed. I won't bother you again."

I went back into my room and opened the window, allowing more cold air into the already freezing dormitory. I opened the doors to the bathroom and common room, letting the air flow freely as I thought it should. Granger's logic had obviously gotten into me. All that Qi was affecting my mind.

I fell asleep easily enough, but was disturbed once again.

I woke, slowly opening my eyes to find Granger's face filling my entire field of vision. She was kneeling at my bedside, her chin resting on the edge of my bed. She reminded me of a puppy dog with those big brown eyes of hers. Her face was a mixture of fear, utter terror, and surprise. She jumped up quickly and stood there, thinking about whether she should run or stay put.

"What's wrong?" I asked, as nicely as I could seeing that it was two in the morning.

"Malfoy, I can't sleep. I didn't say anything before because I knew you'd make fun of me, but I don't care anymore. I'm scared to death of the thunder and the lightning. I said I wouldn't bother you again… don't hurt me."

I laughed slightly, wondering if I could use her fear against her, but it was too late at night for that kind of torment. "Alright, get in if you want. There's more than enough room for about four people in this bed."

"Thank you, Malfoy."

"You probably don't want me to tell anyone about this, right?" I asked after she got herself comfortable. She had positioned herself so that her head was resting on her pillow just inches from my shoulder, her lying on her side and I on my back.

"I figured I wouldn't have to ask seeing as you would never even think of telling a soul that you had shared a bed with a mudblood like me," she smiled.

"Oh, yeah. Anyways, I thought you loved the rain," I changed the subject.

"Of course. It's just the thunder and lightning I hate. Goodnight, Malfoy." She whispered the last sentence, sending shivers down my spine and clearly ending the conversation.


	15. Date for Draco

Thank you for reviewing those of you who did.I don't own Harry Potter, but I am in J.K. Rowling's will to inherit everything… Kidding! kidding! don't flame me. so anyways, this is pretty long compared to some of the others i've written. hope you enjoy! oh, and the story's going to get better now, thank you all for sticking with me!

----- Chapter 15: Date for Draco ----- (Draco's POV)

I woke to a strange buzzing noise. It invaded my entire body, jarring my senses and making my mind ache. I opened my eyes slowly and blinked. Early morning sunlight was streaming through the open window and shone on a small oval object that looked rather like an egg. I picked it up, it was as light as a snitch. Holding it close to my ear, I found that it was the thing that was emitting the annoying sound.

"Granger!" I yelled. I listened for an answer, but only the sound of running water replied to my call.

I strolled into the bathroom, rubbing the back of my neck and wondering how to turn the blaring item off.

"Bloody thing!" I yelled and threw it against the wall of the bathroom, missing the section I had aimed for and hitting the mirror instead, which shattered into a million tiny pieces.

The water stopped and Granger stepped out of her shower with a towel wrapped around her body, water still dripping from her hair.

"Repairo," she directed at the mirror, lazily waving her wand. She then went over and picked up the small thing I had thrown. "Malfoy. You could have just pressed the button."

"Well, excuse me for not being up to date on muggle torture devices."

"It's an alarm, you twit. It's supposed to wake you up. You didn't wake up when I yelled at you, or when I threw water on you." I had been wondering why my hair was wet. "So, I just turned the alarm on and let it do the work of prying you out of bed," she strolled over to the sink and took a towel from the cabinet next to it. Drying her hair, she added, "You need to get a shower too."

"Are you saying I stink, Granger?" I asked, almost laughing at my irritation.

"No, I would tell you flat out if you smelled bad. Now hurry, we've got twenty minutes until breakfast."

"I'll be ready in half that time," I scoffed.

Ten minutes later, I emerged from the steamy shower stall and reached for a towel. One was offered to me and I took it, muttering, "Thanks."

"Your welcome," Hermione replied.

I almost jumped out of my skin. After yelling at her about indecency and being un-ladylike, I finished drying off and went into my room. There were clothes laid out on my bed. Robes, a tight, form-fitting black shirt, jeans, and the thong.

"ARE YOU BLOODY SERIOUS, GRANGER?" I yelled.

"About what?" she asked, putting her head around the door to look at me.

"Do I actually have to wear this?" I asked, picking the torturous clothing up by one of the strings.

She came around the door and crossed her arms, "I bought it and I think it's a waste of money if you don't wear it."

"You cannot be serious. I can't wear THIS!" I motioned at it, "It's inappropriate, I refuse."

"Alright, Malfoy. But I'd hate for my wand to accidentally slip and hex it to follow you around everywhere. Just do it anyways! Because I said so." She smiled happily and skipped out of the room.

"Fine, fine." I put on everything, even the thong. When I came out of my room, I grimaced as the thin piece of cloth started to ride up. "I don't think I should have to wear this if you don't."

"Oh, but I am wearing mine, Malfoy. Now let's go, I'm hungry." She linked her arm in mine and pulled me out of the common room as though we were going for an afternoon stroll.

"I don't believe you," I muttered out of the corner of my mouth as we passed a group of little first years.

"About what? Don't you feel so free?" she giggled. "This is GREAT!" she laughed again. I looked at her angrily. "I mean the house unity we're exhibiting by holding hands," she added, a broad grin spreading over her face.

I quickly let go of her hand. Her hand had fit so perfectly in mine, I had hardly noticed it was there. We pounded down the stairs and into the entrance hall, turned into the Great Hall and walked down the main aisle to our small table in the middle, right in front of the teacher's table.

When we sat down and loaded our plates with toast, eggs, ham, and sausages, Granger said, "Hey, I was wondering if you would go with me somewhere tonight."

"Yeah, where?"

"Nowhere special. Just a place…" she trailed off and took a bite of her breakfast, looking around the Great Hall. I continued to eat, wondering where she was going to go.

"So do you want to come with me tonight?" she questioned again after a few minutes. "There's a party in Hogsmeade I want to go to. Of course it's after curfew, but, we're the ones who enforce curfew aren't we? And I think we can make an exception for that. So do you want to go with m-"

"Draco?" simpered Pansy Parkinson. She had meandered over to our table and was leaning over my shoulder, breathing heavily in my ear. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

"Hold on. Granger was just saying something, don't you know it's rude to interrupt someone who's already talking?" he said sternly. "I'll talk to you in a second, Pansy. Just let me finish with Granger first, alright?" She looked like she was about to cry, but Pansy turned and stood a distance away, waiting for Granger to finish talking to me. I turned back to Hermione and met her gaze. "What?" I asked.

"What just happened? You actually defended me… kind of. You actually do have manners, don't you?" she laughed softly before continuing, looking at me with a sparkle in her eyes, "Anyways, will you go with me?"

"Yeah, sure, I guess. Wait, you said after curfew, right? Sorry, but my father said if I mess up anymore I'll be in a lot of trouble. I don't want to have to deal with him this early in the year seeing that I just escaped from him a few weeks ago."

"There's just a small possibility that we'd get in trouble. I'll have to change your outlook on the whole thing… We'll start with baby steps, though. Go ahead and talk to your girlfriend," she motioned with her hand as though to swat away a fly.

I looked at her disgustedly, "She's not my girlfriend, Granger." She laughed. "What are you laughing at this time?" I asked.

"Your face, you looked like you just swallowed something nasty. Don't go over there to Parkinson looking like that," she commented, trying to hide her smile.

I laughed slightly, before standing up and then turning and heading over to Pansy. "What do you need, Pansy?" I asked.

"I was wondering if you would go out with me, my friend Diana, and Blaise. It's kind of a double-date thing. So… will you come? With me? We don't have to consider it a date if you don't want to," she started straightening my school tie. "I just thought it might be nice to get out of the castle for a while. The seventh years are allowed out on weekends now. We can go to Hogsmeade only, but that's still a big privilege. We were thinking of going to Mrs. Paddyfoot's, if that's alright with you." (AN: Mrs. Paddyfoot's… did I spell that right?)

"Umm… Yeah, sure. What time?" I asked. Honestly, I didn't really like Pansy. We had known each other when we were little. Our mothers had arranged play-dates when we were toddlers. In fact, they still tried to get us together without much effort on my part.

"Six o'clock in the front hall. We're having dinner at the shop. See you then," she stood on tiptoe and kissed my cheek before sitting back down with her friends, blushing and giggling hysterically.

I sat back down and started to finish my breakfast. I noticed Granger had pushed her plate away from her and was staring at me.

"What's wrong?" I asked, feeling a blush creep up my cheeks.

"I think I lost my appetite after seeing that rather disgusting display," she answered, smiling.

"Ha ha, funny," I said.

"And I thought thinking of you wearing a thong was bad. I thought you didn't like her."

"Don't talk so loud! And I don't like her, I didn't ask her to kiss me. She only kissed me on the cheek anyways."

Granger started to laugh, her eyes sparkling.

"Shut UP!" I said a little too loud, and threw a piece of my sausage at her. It made her laugh harder.

"Is there a problem, Miss Granger? Mister Malfoy?" Professor Snape had been passing by.

"No, Professor," we both chorused.

Once he was gone, Granger said, "So when's the date? You know I heard you talking, you weren't that far away."

"You're not going to leave me alone about this are you?"

"You have a smudge of lip gloss on your cheek," she said, giggling.

"I'll take that as a 'no'."


	16. Dominic

Thank you for reviewing those of you who did.I don't own Harry Potter, but I am in J.K. Rowling's will to inherit everything… Kidding! kidding! don't flame me. so anyways, this is pretty long compared to some of the others i've written. hope you enjoy! oh, and the story's going to get better now, thank you all for sticking with me!

----- Chapter 16: Dominic ----- (Draco's POV)

After breakfast, I left the Head Table and went around the side of the castle to the greenhouses for Herbology. Professor Sprout wasn't there yet, so I stood leaning up against the wall waiting for her to come and unlock the door. While waiting, I flipped through my textbook. The first half seemed to be about muggle herbs and flowers. I read on to find out that we would be studying a few muggle plants to get to know their magical properties that had most recently been discovered.

When I was a child, my parents had taken me to the botanical gardens in London once a year. As I got older and my father became more involved with the Death Eaters, we visited muggle places less and less. I almost never set foot outside of the manor until I was 11 and my parents dropped me in Diagon Alley, right after buying my supplies and clothes, leaving me there for another week before the train left for school. I went to the gardens every day and learned as much as I could. I learned every name of almost every flower I saw. When I looked though the chapters, I noticed that I was familiar with every one of the plants we would be studying.

'Finally, something I know that Granger doesn't. Maybe I can impress her. Show her that she's not the only smart person in this school,' I thought. Speaking of the witch, Hermione came around the corner followed by Professor Sprout and a couple other Gryffindors. She looked upset about something, but as soon as she saw me, her expression changed, as though she was trying to hide her distress. 'And she accuses me of having mood swings.'

The class filed in after Professor Sprout as she unlocked and went through the door to Green House 2. Hermione walked over to me slowly and looked up at me, smiling weakly, "Looking forward to your date?"

"Haha, very funny," I said light-heartedly. She started to turn away but I pulled her back towards me, "What's wrong?"

"I knew you were going to ask me that."

"Well. If you don't want me to ask, then tell me."

"Alright. I don't want you to ask."

"Just because you don't want me to doesn't mean I won't. Maybe today's lesson will cheer you up."

"Herbology is doubles with Slytherin, how would that cheer me up?" she said as a crowd of Slytherins headed by Blaise, and Pansy Parkinson started around the corner.

"I meant what we're learning," I called after her as she turned and walked into the greenhouse. I let the group pass me and followed them in as the bell rang.

"Dracooooo! Sit with me here, Draco," simpered Pansy Parkinson.

The only two vacant seats were next to Hermione, who was at a table with Potter and Weasley, and next to Pansy Parkinson, who was sitting with Blaise and who I assumed was his girlfriend, Diana. Then a new kid with black hair and an earring walked past me and sat in the chair next to Pansy, who didn't look too happy about it.

I did what anyone else would do. I sat down next to Hermione. Looking up, I met a glare from Ron, a gaze from Harry, and a weird smile from Hermione, though her eyes were not on me.

"Alright, everyone! Open your books to Chapter One and we will begin today's lesson. It's pretty much self-explanatory, so I think you will all do a splendid job on your own. I have quite a bit of catching up to do in Green House 3 which is right next door. If you need me, give a shout. This is just a simple exercise of learning basic information about the new plants we will be studying and experimenting with. Alright! On with it then!"

Hermione and I turned on our stools to face the table and Ron and Harry who sat across from us. As we started the lesson, Hermione whispered, "Don't you think we're spending enough time together as it is?"

"Obviously not," I whispered back, "I wonder who that new kid is."

Clearly not expecting an answer, I was surprised when Hermione said, "Oh. That's Professor Snape's nephew. His name is Dominic. His parents died over the summer and he has to stay with Snape until they figure out who his legal guardian will be."

"How do you know all of this?" I whispered back.

"He's one of my friends. He went out with Raz for a while, too."

"But I thought only you and Raz knew she was a girl."

"Exactly," she started to laugh. "I guess Dominic knew she was a girl all along. He's more clever than I thought. And here I was this whole time thinking that he was gay."

My hand slipped at that and my book was sent tumbling to the floor. "How can you be alright with all of this?" I muttered as I reached down to retrieve the fallen book.

"Maybe you should become more accepting," she spoke in a normal tone.

"Shut up, Granger. Just because I'm not as 'open-minded' as you are, it doesn't mean I can't be open to new ideas," my voice was rising.

"Yeah, right, like you would ever tolerate anyone who didn't conform to your standards."

"Alright," I said softly. "You win. You're right. But you know what? I can name every one of the flowers that we will be studying."

"That doesn't make them any more beautiful," she replied venomously and turned back to her book.

How could she do that? I mean, just put me off like that? Not even give me a moment with the notion that I knew something that she didn't. Sitting on a stool in thong underwear was killing me. How could I have let her talk me into this? Ah, right. I still had time to win the battle… I would have to get her back. But how?

Harry and Ron were just sitting there staring at us. "What?" asked Hermione.

"Nothing," they both replied and turned back to their textbooks.

As soon as the bell rang, I stayed behind and took my time putting away the plants set out on our table. 'What do I have on her? I need to do something drastic, but not overly so. I need to save the big guns for later. What can I use against her right now? The thong? No, she said she didn't care. But if the whole school knew she was wearing one, that would be kind of embarrassing. I mean, why not? But how could I tell everyone really quickly? If I told some of the biggest gossipers in school, like Lavender, or Padma and Parvati, they're her friends and would probably tell her. What about a flashing marquee above her head? Or, better yet, a simple sign. A sign on her back. With a chunk of Spell-o-Tape to hold it there. Yeah, that's it.'

I went over to Professor Sprout's desk and brushed some of the dirt off of the parchment she had laid out. I took my quill and slowly wrote:

KISS ME!  
(I'M WEARING A THONG!)

I tore off the piece of parchment and took a roll of Spell-o-Tape out of the desk drawer. 'There, that should do it.' I smiled to myself as I proceeded out of the greenhouse and up the front steps of the castle. Now all I had to do was find Granger.


	17. Dog Kisses

Chapter 17: Dog Kisses  
(Hermione's POV)

I was sitting at lunch when I heard footsteps behind me and a muffled snigger. I turned to find Blaise Zambini standing behind me. I stood up prepared for a confrontation, but was surprised that he just stared at me when I turned to face him. "What?"

"Nothing," he replied. He stepped forward and lightly, but surely, pushed his lips against mine. I drew back quickly, wiping my mouth on the sleeve of my robes.

"What are you doing?" I demanded.

"Just following directions," he smiled eerily and strutted off to the Slytherin table where he took a seat next to Malfoy who was laughing his head off.

I sat back down, trying to eat after the unpleasant experience. The kiss had been brief but I had had the feeling that I was kissing a dog. And when was the last time he had brushed his teeth? Gross.

I continued cutting up my food, trying to make myself eat it after the dog kiss, until a hand grabbed my shoulder. "Hermione! Who did that?" Ron asked, sliding into the seat next to me.

"What?" I asked. Had he seen the kiss?

"There's a sign on your back, it says 'Kiss me! I'm wearing a thong!'" Ron explained.

"Oh. That explains it," I looked over at the Slytherin table and caughtMalfoy's gaze. I smiled composedly and looked at Harry. "Can you take it off for me?"

"Here," Harry handed me the piece of parchment.

"Well?" asked Ron.

"Well what?" I turned to him on the bench.

"How are we going to get him back?" Harry asked.

"Let's hit him," Ron suggested.

"No. I'll take care of it. You two eat lunch. Remember we have another class after this," I said, standing up from the table.

I strolled over to the Slytherin table, confidently striding up behind Malfoy. I leaned over his shoulder so he wouldn't have to turn around.

"Nice trick. I didn't know how badly I upset you when I won that argument earlier, and I'm sorry. I should have let you win, you prat," I whispered softly in his ear. "You know, a guy with a big ego is a big turn on for me." At this point I started to massage his shoulders and worked my way down. I placed the sign up against his back and whispered a permanent sticking charm as I pulled away. I could tell he was blushing because it had crept all the way back to his ears.

"Get away from me you stupid mudblood," he said roughly and pulled away from my touch.

"Sure thing, you ratcheted pedestrian," I said loudly as I yanked on the back of the thong he was wearing. I pulled as hard and fast as I could, jerking it as far as it would go. Malfoy just sat there, stunned, and wincing painfully. I kissed him quickly on the cheek, picked up my bag and walked out of the Great Hall, laughing madly all the way.


	18. Dozing Draco

I hope you all like this chapter, I worked really hard on this one because I kept getting off subject and putting in lengthy bits that had nothing to do with the story. 

Chapter 18: (Draco's POV)

I was mortified. I couldn't speak, I just sat there, staring at my plate. I didn't dare look up. I just had to leave without making a big deal out of it. 'Alright, Draco. Don't let that filthy mudblood get the better of you. You have to beat her at her own game.'

I stood slowly and walked calmly and collectively towards the doors of the Great Hall. As I walked past each of the house tables, I heard hearty sniggers following me everywhere. I was so self-conscious at that point that I almost screamed when George Weasley caught up to me as I was going through the doors. He pulled me into a tight embrace and pushed his lips against mine in a short, and thank goodness, closed-mouth kiss. He laughed as he walked away.

I don't know why they came back, he and his twin had left a couple years back and had recently returned to go through a couple more courses before taking the N.E.W.T.'s at the end of the year. I think they actually missed Hogwarts.

"What the-" I said, spitting on the ground and wiping my mouth on my sleeve. I stared after him as he joined his twin and Lee Jordan at the Gryffindor table. He saw me watching him and winked before turning back to the conversation at hand.

I heard someone laughing behind me and turned sharply. It was Granger, she was half-hidden in the shadow of the doorway of an empty classroom.

"You," I started towards her.

"Yes, me," she replied, walking towards me. She clearly wasn't frightened. "You think that you could embarrass me with a simple sign, Malfoy? You've got to be joking."

I ignored her and continued towards the boys' toilets located next to the staircase. She followed, laughing.

"Haha. So he kissed me. Big squalling deal. Why is it so bloody funny?" I pushed the door open and strode inside the bathroom. The thong was riding up farther than I had ever imagined possible. I realized that she had followed me in and commented, "You're not supposed to be in here. I could give you detention for it, you know."

"Oh, you won't. You know why?"

"Why?" I decided to play along.

"I can do for you what no other person can," she replied, fixing me with an icy cold glare. She stepped forward and pushed herself up so she was sitting on the counter. She looked into my eyes, and her lips were quivering like she was trying her best not to smile.

"Granger, are you proposing that-"

"-Why yes, yes I am," she grinned broadly and hopped off the edge of the counter. She started laughing.

"What is wrong with you?" I asked, turning slightly to face her. Then I caught a glimpse of a piece of parchment sticking to the back of my robes. "You stupid mudblood! Is that- I'm going to get you so bad! So that's why he kissed me!" I shouted for a couple of moments more before reaching back and tugging on the sign.

She came up behind me, snaked her arms around my waist and said, "That's what I meant. If you don't give me detention, I can remove the sign. Only I can do it, since I'm the one that put the charm on it."

"Will you get off of me?" I was angry now. "Why are you acting like my girlfriend or something?"

"I don't know really, but you're really cute when your mad," she smiled as she pinched my cheek. She tugged the sign off of my robes and walked out of the room, not even looking back.

I could not believe her. She had really changed over the summer, just like she said. Maybe she was on drugs or something, I really didn't know. Maybe it was that incense stuff that she burned constantly in her room. I should try some….

After readjusting the thong, and shamefully trying to pull it into a position that kept it from riding up, I left the bathrooms and headed upstairs to my last class of the day. I wondered about what was in store that evening when I would be joining Diana, Blaise, and Pansy on a date in Hogsmeade.

After Transfiguration with the Hufflepuffs and Arithmancy with the Ravenclaws, I climbed the stairs to the Head Dormitories. When I got to the portrait of the lion and dragon, they were having a tea party at a round wooden table with some monks and a lady with hair down to her waist that looked rather like a veela.

"Password," said the dragon, getting to his feet. I remembered the first night in the castle and how the dragon's voice had affected Hermione and how I had used that to my advantage. Maybe I could do that again sometime.

I grinned to myself as I said, "Bundled."

"Very well then," said the dragon and the portrait moved forward so I could enter.

(Switch to Hermione's POV…. just a warning.)

Malfoy walked in and promptly tripped over the miscellaneous furniture I had stacked near the entrance in my good mood.

"Bloody furniture- Granger!" he yelled as I hurried into my room.

Like I thought he would, he followed me in, and I was waiting with a book in hand. As he strode confidently through the door, I struck him in the face with a book, knocking him off his feet.

Once he got up, I was already in the common room. I sat on one of the chairs and picked up my Herbology homework that had been given this morning.

He walked in and sat down across from me. He looked at me for a long time before saying very slowly, "Now, I will kill you."

I couldn't help emitting a small squeak like a mouse before I looked up and saw him grinning at me. "That's not funny!"

He looked at his silver wristwatch, so I looked at it too. It was 4:32. "I don't have time to fight with you, Granger. I've got a date in an hour and a half and I need to get ready."

"You don't need that long to get ready! Oh, wait, I forgot. You have to spend at least an hour on your hair."

"I do NOT! Blimey, Granger! You just can't get over the fact that I'm better looking than you!" he scoffed and walked toward his room.

"If you want, you could take a quick kip on the couch and I'll wake you up in a bit," I offered.

Not expecting it, I was surprised by his answer, "Sure. I think I'll do that. Two double classes in a row is exhausting! Whoever gave me those two together can go get stuffed." He flung himself onto the only couch that hadn't been piled next to the door and fell asleep within seconds.

Hmmmm. What could I do with this great opportunity? I ran quietly into my room and grabbed one of my fine-tip permanent markers. A plain black one would do fine. I sneaked back into the common room. Uncapping the marker silently, I steadied my hand and brought it close to his face. Suddenly, his hand had grabbed my wrist in a tight grip. His eyes flew open.

"Don't even think about it, Granger," he said seriously. I couldn't help grinning as he shut his eyes again and continued to sleep.

Okay, so I couldn't touch him. What else was there? Oh, yes. He hadn't told me exactly _when_ to wake him up.

I finished my Herbology and then got dressed for the rave that night. I decided to glance at his watch to see what time it was. The watch said 5:27. Now, when was his date, again? Oh yah, 6 o'clock. I decided to be nice and wake him up.

I took my wand and prodded him in the side. No movement, no response at all. I pulled his arms upward and let them drop back to his sides. He didn't budge. "Blimey," I muttered. He was asleep and I could do anything I wanted. The thought came as quickly as he had grabbed my wrist, it wasn't totally evil, but it would have to do. I dragged him into the bathroom, pulled him into the shower and turned the water on as cold as possible.

"GRANGER!" His whole body jerked involuntarily as the cold water hit his face with full force.

Yep. He was awake. "What?" I asked innocently.

"What did you do that for?" he reached up and turned the water flow off.

"I thought you might want to freshen up for your date," I smiled childishly as I backed away from the shower so he could stand up. I offered him my hand but he didn't take it. "Aww. Come on. Are you mad at me? I couldn't wake you up otherwise! I mean, I tried jumping up and down on your stomach and that didn't work so I had to go to this."

"You jumped on me?" he seemed incredulous. He stood up and stepped out of the shower.

"I'm kidding, Malfoy." I grinned and got a small smile back from him.

"What am I going to wear?" he exclaimed, rubbing the back of his neck and feeling his sopping wet hair.

"That's not my problem," I said and walked back into the common room.

Half an hour later Draco walked out of the bathroom. His hair was dry again and had only a hint of gel instead of a whole bottle. He was wearing a nice black button-down shirt that looked like it had been recently ironed and excessively starched. The jeans he was wearing were dark blue and he had put on a black hemp necklace with a silver charm hanging from it. He looked really uptight.

I walked over to him. Up close I saw that the silver charm on his necklace was a flat oval disc with some words inscribed around the edge and the dark mark in the middle. Seeing me staring at it, he pushed it under his shirt quickly, and looked away from my face.

"You smell good," I commented as I walked around him in a circle studying him carefully. "Here," I added, and I un-tucked his shirt from his jeans, "That's the only thing I can do with this situation. I think leather would look better, but then again, why waist good looks on someone you don't like?"

"How do you know if I like her or not?" he asked.

"It's obvious, Malfoy," I answered equally annoyed. "Now you'd better get down to the entrance hall."

"Why are you wearing such a bulky cloak?" he asked.

"None of your bloody business," I replied and shoved him out the door.


	19. Date Dilemma

I hope you guys like this chapter. I worked really hard because I kept getting off topic. Thank you to all of you who reviewed! Your confidence is greatly appreciated. 

Chapter 19: Date Dilemma (Draco's POV)

I took my time walking down the stairs and into the entrance hall. When I got there, I saw Granger in the corner next to the doors. She had a cloak on and I could also see a pair of clunky black boots when she pulled up her cloak to button the bottom of it. The boots had loads of silver buckles all over them, and they came up almost to her knees. I couldn't see anything else because she quickly let her cloak drop when she caught me staring. She smiled nervously and then hurried out of the entrance hall when she noticed Professor McGonogall coming.

Since I was early, I decided to slip into the boy's bathroom to make sure I still looked as stunning as I had when I left the common room. I stared into the mirror. Looking back at me was the same blonde-haired 17 year old as always. I was dressed in a crisp black shirt with elbow-length sleeves and dark blue jeans. I checked for rips in my jeans, just to make sure. I had spared one pair from the torture of being everyday pants just in case of an occasion I might have to look nice and like I cared about my clothes. Don't get me wrong. I love looking hot, of course, and my hair has to be perfect, but my clothes just need to be comfortable for me to wear them. My hair was loose, without much gel, just enough to keep it sheltered from the wind.

When I got back to the entrance hall, Blaise, Diana, and Pansy were waiting by the open door, shivering as a small breeze wafted in. I waved in greeting and they all turned to look at me. Blaise came over to me and whispered, "Draco, man, Pansy looks hot. You are so lucky!"

I whispered back, "Yeah. But look at you, you got Diana! She looks awesome in that dress!"

"Hey!" he whispered back, "Are you going to steal her from me or something? I don't want any jealousy issues going on here or I'm going to have to call this whole thing off." He chuckled softly as we joined the girls.

"What's so funny, Blaise?" Diana asked. She was dressed in a lavender dress that reached down to her knees. She was tall and skinny and had long legs. She had tried out for seeker, but the Slytherin captain didn't allow girls on his team. Her long black hair had been arranged in a neat bun with a sparkly clip that caught the light when she moved.

"Nothing, nothing," he smiled and winked at me as he put his hand lightly on the small of her back and gently guided her towards the doors.

I turned my attention to Pansy who was wearing a shockingly bright pink dress and had been looking over my wardrobe choice with a critical eye. "What? You want me to change?" I asked her.

"No. It's too late for that. I just thought you'd make a little more effort," she replied loftily as though she had been offended in some way.

"Blaise is wearing almost the exact same thing except his shirt is white!" I exclaimed.

"Yes, well, Blaise is with her…" she said 'her' as though speaking of a servant. I had thought that Pansy was good friends with Diana. "And you're lucky enough to be going with me. So I thought you would have dressed nicer." She said the last sentence like the conversation was over, so I took her arm in mine and started to follow Blaise and Diana.

"What do you think you're doing? You're supposed to walk with me like Blaise is walking with Diana. You put your hand on my back, but not too low."

Since when did she become my mother? Now she was demanding every ounce of my patience to last the rest of the night. My short temper was required to lengthen just for the evening. I hoped I could manage.

I did as she said and we caught up with Diana and Blaise. We made conversation and eventually reached the gates that lead into Hogsmeade. From there, we walked down the muddy lane and reached Mrs. Paddyfoot's.

The four of us waited to be seated and were shown to a table near the window. Pansy ordered a salad, but Diana showed her true side. She ordered a couple Toad-in-the-Holes, and a plate of bangers and mash. Blaise and I ordered fish and chips, and we all shared a big dish of Yorkshire pudding.

(For those of you who aren't familiar with these foods, let me clarify. Fish is fish. Chips are basically French fries, except usually doused in vinegar. A "Toad-in-the-Hole" is a sausage that is covered in batter and then roasted. Yorkshire pudding is made of flour, eggs, and milk and is cooked in the oven. Bangers are sausages, and mash is mashed potatoes.)

Blaise and I watched as Diana ate all of the food she had in front of her and almost half of the Yorkshire pudding. Pansy simply sat and sipped her Diet Pumpkin Juice politely, not even glancing at the cannibalistic girl across from her. We all talked as we ate our desserts of ice-cream with hot chocolate.

I had sat staring at my hot chocolate, remembering the night with Granger, when the topic of their discussion caught my attention.

"Yes. I can't believe that they're letting him teach two classes AND be the gamekeeper! No wonder Professor Snape is in a foul temper. Teaching with that oaf as a partner, it's completely ridiculous!" Pansy was saying emphatically.

"But you haven't even been to one of their classes yet, Pansy, you missed the first one because you were in the Hospital Wing getting your arm fixed. Blaise and I have, it's amazing. They teach you all sorts of things. When I was in Muggle Studies, we learned that in their schools they have a class called home-economics, where they learn to sew and cook and things like that," Diana commented.

Blaise put his two-cents in, "It really is kind of interesting, I have to admit. They teach you what it's going to be like out there in the Muggle world. Since there are so few all-wizard villages these days, we're all going to have to live in their proximity or else keep to ourselves, which will never work. They say it's like the giants. If all of us live together, we'll start fighting and killing each other off."

Diana said, "Since when have you started listening to what they say, Blaise? You know the Pure-bloods will find a way to take over and make it so that we can keep away from the Muggles."

"Blaise, you're from a Pure-blood family! What if you're father heard you talking like this?" Pansy spoke up.

"I don't think he would mind," I said nonchalantly, looking at Blaise.

Blaise looked back at me with fire in his eyes, "Why would you say a thing like that, Draco? You think my father is in alliance with Dumbledore?"

"Actually, I know your father is in alliance with Dumbledore. I heard my father talking to yours. Your father is the one who came up with the idea for the course, he knows which way the nation is going, he knows what the future is going to be like," I replied.

"When do you have the class, Draco?" Diana asked me, obviously heading off what could develop into a very nasty row. (a/n: in case u didn't know, a row is a fight. )

"I have it on Monday with the other half of the Gryffindors."

"Aww, man, that's going to be hard. At least our half gets to have it with the Ravenclaws. I think I'd rather have them than the daft Hufflepuffs, or the ignorant Gryffindors," Pansy remarked.

I simply murmured noncommittally and sipped my cocoa.

"Is there a Mister Malfoy here? You have an owl, it's here in the kitchen, dear," Mrs. Paddyfoot called out of the half-open kitchen door.

"That's me," I said, standing up and moving toward the kitchen. As I walked in, Mrs. Paddyfoot had her back to me and was talking to a girl with brown hair that had blue streaks through it.

"Thanks," came the girls voice. I couldn't see her face because of Mrs. Paddyfoot, but I saw the girl shove some galleons into Mrs. Paddyfoot's hand.

"Hey, Malfoy," Hermione said as Mrs. Paddyfoot moved out of the way. Her slick brown hair was pulled unto a messy bun and she had dark eyeliner on. Her fingernails were painted French-manicure style with black as a base and red tips. She wore a nondescript red sleeveless shirt and a pair of black unisex wind/parachute pants that she had artfully ripped and torn. The pants were tied up above the rim of her boots so her boots were visible.

"Don't worry," she said, seeing me staring at the pants and boots. "I'm going to take them off anyways."

"Your pants?" I asked, incredulously.

"No, you idiot, the boots."

"Oh," was my only reply as she tugged out another pair of pants and shirt from her coat pockets. The pants were dark blue and had pockets all over them, in fact, it seemed like the pants were made of pockets. The shirt was a tight white sleeveless shirt. From her boots she pulled her wand and a packet of glow sticks. She charmed the glowsticks quickly and attached one to her necklace, one to each of her hoop earrings.

When she stuck her tongue out, I saw a silver stud in the middle of it, "When did you do that?" I couldn't help asking.

"A few seconds ago," she replied attaching another glowstick to the stud, it was small and round and fit perfectly. Seeing the look on my face, she added, "It's only temporary," and smiled. "Well, aren't you going to put the clothes on? You need to hurry, we've got a ways to walk, and we're going to be late meeting Raz."

"Raz? That non-gender kid?" I asked. I unbuttoned my shirt, "Do you mind?"

"No, not really, but if you do, fine. Just remember, it'll probably off again in about an hour."

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing. And yes, Raz is taking us. Do you have a problem with my friend going with us?"

"It's just that, I don't want to, and can't get into trouble! If I do, you're dead, well, I'm dead too, so we'd be even, right?"

"Right, whatever Malfoy." And with that, she turned around and I quickly pulled on the pants over my boxers.

"Okay. Let's go."

"What about my Diana, Blaise, and Pansy?"

"You really think they care? Now let's go."

"Wait, you're tricking me! No. I'm not going. I refuse."

Hermione looked at me with this really weird expression on her face. It was like she had just figured something out. "Okay," she said, "Fine. Go back with your friends. If I don't come back by tomorrow morning, find Dominic, alright?"

I didn't say anything.

She started to walk out of the door, then turned. I could see she was almost crying, but trying very hard not to. She added, "Just leave the clothes in my room, alright?" And she left without another word.

I sighed. Why hadn't I gone? Was I really afraid of getting into trouble? It's true that my father would kill me if I got into trouble, but I've done other things before now. None of them nearly as bad as this, but, who is right to say that going to a party is bad? Oh, well. That would give me something to think about.

I pushed through the swinging door and back into the restaurant. There was nobody at the table we had been eating at. I walked out into the street, no Blaise, Diana, or Pansy there either. I headed back to the castle, cold and annoyed and thinking about what had happened that night…. and why.


	20. Disappearing Act

**Chapter 20: Disappearing Act**

**(Draco's POV)**

The next morning, I woke up late, I usually would've slept later, but I couldn't figure out what had awoken me. Then I heard that infernally persistent noise. Granger had set her alarm thing and was having a lie in. I walked into her room determined to drag her out of bed since her stupid alarm had gotten me up.

Entering her room, I saw a lump curled up on the bed. "Come on! Ger up wontcha!" I yelled, my speech blurred with sleep. She didn't move. I slipped over to the side of the bed and reached under the covers, "YEOOOOOOW!" I pulled my hand back quickly. Crookshanks had been kipping under the blankets. "Blasted cat," I muttered and walked into the common room.

After searching all of the couches and poufs, I realized that she wasn't there. I strode over to the bathroom door and yanked it open. She wasn't passed out in the tub, and she wasn't sleeping on the counter either.

The portrait hole opened. "Well there you a-" I stopped. It wasn't Granger, it was Dominic. "What are you doing in here? How do you know the password? You're not supposed to be here. Do you know what time it is?"

"She's not here," Dominic said, ignoring all of my questions.

"You don't happen to know where she is, do you?" I asked him.

He didn't say anything, he just turned and sat on the chair closest to the door. "Didn't she tell you to find me if she hadn't returned by morning?"

"Yeah…. So? I replied. This kid had no right to question my actions, or lack thereof.

I looked down, scratching the back of my neck and sighing. Where was she? Could she be in trouble? I stared for a while at the bunnies hopping around on my trousers.

Maybe some hot water would help. It was freezing in the dorms because Granger had insisted on opening all of the windows because we were supposed to "help the wind on its way through". I pulled off my white t-shirt and turned on the water. "Oh, wait," I said to myself. I reached over and pulled a freshly laundered towel off of the counter and hung it over the shower door. I stripped off my pants and boxers and stepped in, welcoming the warm steam.

As I let the water flow over my body, I thought about where Granger could be. Maybe she was still at the party, but do raves last that long? I was pretty sure some of them did. Was she lost or stuck somewhere? Had she been kidnapped? Now that was just ridiculous, she's seventeen. She could take care of herself.

I turned and reached for the towel, rubbing water out of my eyes with my other hand. It wasn't there. I stepped out of the shower, expecting it to have fallen on the floor. It wasn't there either. I turned to take one from the stack on the counter, but they seemed to have disappeared. "What the-" I walked to the bathroom door that lead into the common room. Pulling it open, I saw Granger sitting on a couch reading a magazine. The stack of towels lay next to her.

I looked down. I was standing behind a high-backed sofa, thank jupiter.

Her gaze drifted slowly upward to my face, her eyes lingering on my chest which was still covered in water droplets. "'ello. Nice day, isn't it?"

I shivered and tried to cover my bare chest with my arms. The heat from the shower had disappeared and all that was left was the chilly wind. "Give me a towel."

"Say please, Malfoy. Manners still count. Even with your worst enemy."

I laughed. She just kept looking at me, her gaze flicking once or twice back down to my bare chest.

"You never take that necklace off, do you?" she asked.

"No, I don't. Now give me a towel." She gave me a patronizing look. "You can't be serious, Granger!" She nodded. "Please," I said reluctantly.

She tossed me a towel, and as I was drying off, I said, "Dominic is here. He was looking for you. Why did you give him the password?"

"Just in case he needed me. Did he leave the boots?"

"No, he just came in, looked around, asked if you were here, and sat down. He seemed worried."

"Yeah, well he shouldn't be. I can take care of myself." Then she looked around and saw Dominic by the door. "You hear me? I can take care of myself," she shouted to him, almost angrily. He didn't seem phased.

He just looked at her for a second, stood up, then held up the pair of boots that Granger had been wearing the night before.

"Oh yeah. I'll go get 'em," said Hermione. She got up and moved into her room.

Dominic looked at me, his eyes sweeping up and down my body like Hermione's had done. His look flickered on my necklace and he moved closer. "No wonder she likes you," he commented, upon closer inspection of my necklace.

"What do you mean? Who likes me?" I asked.

"Hermione. She's always had a thing for the darker side. At the moment, she's really into 'bad boys' and things like that, I think. So has she seen this necklace?" he said in a low voice.

"Yeah. She had a glimpse of it," I said slowly.

"Good luck, then, mate," he laughed softly.

"What's so funny?" Hermione had come back into the room carrying a pair of boots.

"Nothing," I commented. Now that I thought about it, she really did seem kind of interested in me. I mean, who wouldn't be? I'm Draco Malfoy! Anyone who isn't attracted to me is out of their bleeding mind!

"I always thought you were a bit demented, Malfoy. I mean," she handed Dominic the boots and a piece of parchment, "talking to yourself and laughing about nothing should be warning signs of insanity."

"It's probably from being around you. You can't call me insane when you're the one that talks about 'funk shay' all the time. Are you going to buy me a new toothbrush because it will compliment the colour of my boxers?" I ranted.

"You're not wearing boxers, Malfoy. But I am, and they are quite comfortable. Where did you find silk boxers monogrammed with the Malfoy family crest, anyways?" she asked.

"You're wearing my boxers?"

"That's what I just said. Mine are all in the wash," she smiled.

Dominic sniggered, "She did the same thing to me, mate."

"Shut up," I shot at him. "Take them off right now!"

"If you insist," she started to pull off her trousers.

"Granger! I don't want to go blind this young! Keep the boxers you wretched mud blood!" I yelled.

Dominic made a move towards me, but Hermione took his arm and pulled him towards the door. She opened the portrait hole and whispered something in Dominic's ear. He responded quietly, shot a glaring look at me, and departed.

Granger settled back down with the magazine. I realized that I had not moved from behind the couch. I moved into my room and pulled on some boxers and a pair of black cargo pants I found on my bed. Putting on a t-shirt, yellow with blue stripes on the sleeves, I moved back into the common room.

I sat on the couch opposite Granger and stared intently at the cover of the magazine, The Quibbler, until she sighed and put it down.

"What were you telling Dominic?"

"At the door?" she asked.

"Yes. At the door."

"It doesn't matter. Why are you so bloody paranoid, Malfoy?"

"I'm not paranoid. What did that note say?"

"It was just the information on the next rave we're having. They need someone to do tattoos at this one 'cos it's a special one for Halloween. He's one of the few that knows how to work the ink."

"Are you going to get a tattoo?"

"I'm thinking about it," she replied, smirking at me. It wasn't a good smirk, either. I'm the only one who can pull of a really brilliant smirk.

I noticed that her eyes kept flicking down to my shirt. "You like it?" I asked.

She laughed out loud. "It looks ridiculous!"

"Fine. I'll go change, if it will make you happy, your highness."

"Thank you. I'll try to recover from the overdose of ugly. I mean, you look horrible enough without that shirt to add to the nastiness."

"Ha ha," I said, walking back into my room.

I pulled off the shirt and threw it onto the bed. Turning to look in my trunk, I saw Granger leaning on the doorframe.

"Granger! I'm not wearing a shirt!" I shouted.

"Well, it's not like you have boobs or anything, is it?" she laughed.

I couldn't believe Granger had become so bold over the summer. She moved over to my trunk and pulled out a simple white t-shirt.

"Here," she said, and pulled it over my head. I didn't move. "C'mon 'ittle Drakee-poo! Put your arms through," she cooed as though I was three years old.

"Shut up," I said and pushed my arms through.

She pulled the shirt the rest of the way down, her fingers lightly brushing my torso. The tingling feeling stayed long after she had gone back into the common room, leaving me there in a kind of stunned silence.

(Hermione's POV)

As I walked into the common room, I looked behind me. Malfoy wasn't following. I turned and looked at him. "C'mon!" I said sweetly, as though speaking to a dog. He didn't move. He just stood there looking at the window. "What's up with you?" I asked, going back into his room and standing next to him.

He turned away, but not quickly enough. He was crying….


	21. Draco's Daddy

AN: here's a short little chapter. i hope you guys enjoyed the last one i posted today. i didn't want to ruin it with stupid blather though. and i don't want to ruin this one. i'll talk your ear off in the next AN, though if you want me to. the only thing that's kept me from posting is a whole 'misunderstanding' with the police... ahem and a few weeks in jail, but that's not the point. the point is that you CANNOT arrest protesters if they aren't being violent (which we weren't) or blocking traffic (which we weren't) or breaking a law (again, not happening!). then it took them a bloody 9 days to figure out that they had NO charges to hold me and my friends on, so they finally let us out.   
well, i guess i used up my AN time/space. enjoy!

**Chapter 21: Draco's Daddy**

**(Hermione's POV)**

I put my hand on his shoulder. He promptly pulled away and strode quickly into the bathroom, slamming the door hard behind him.

"Alright then." I walked into the common room, picked up the magazine I had been reading and lay back, waiting for Malfoy to get out of the bathroom.

He opened the door a while later. His eyes were not red, as though he had been crying, but they did look like ice and more hateful than before. The longer I looked him in the eyes, the more I saw a scared little boy, not a defiant teenager. Malfoy just stood there, apparently unaffected by my gaze. Even _I_ don't have mood swings as bad as this, and I'm a bloody girl!

I was the first to speak, "Are you quite finished with your little tantrum, because I really have to use the loo."

He looked at me and I swear to this day that if looks could kill, I would be an extra-concentrated ghost or something.

I got up and pushed past him, closing the door behind me.

When I had finished, I walked back out into the common room. Malfoy wasn't there. I checked his room, mine, and all of the seats. No Draco. I hadn't heard the portrait hole open or close…. I noticed that one of the windows was still open and went over. I thought I had closed them all when I got back. Guess who was outside the window? Yep…. Draco.

I stepped out onto the slippery shingles and sat next to him. We looked out at the lake and the setting sun. Well, I did. He had his head in his arms and was all hunched up with his back against the wall.

I nudged him when the sun was almost down, "Watch this."

He looked up at me, "What? Are you going to jump?"

I laughed, "You wish. I meant the sunset."

"Oh."

We sat there in silence as the sun went down and the torches in the castle were lit.

"It's my dad," Draco started.

"Mm," I muttered noncommittally.

"He's been really hard on me lately."

I didn't say anything, just let him continue.

"This necklace was given to me when I was born. He keeps telling me that some day it might be the real thing. You know…. the dark mark." He paused and looked up at the sky as though he had just realized something and was about to shout 'Eureka!'.

"And you don't want that…." it was kind of fun being in the psychologist's position for once.

"Well. I want to please my father, but I don't want to be associated with that group. I've been raised in a dark house, but sometimes I feel that it's not what I want for me. I've seen what the darkness does to you…. It's not pretty. I never want to be a bloodthirsty, greedy, selfish man that wants to destroy practically all of civilization. But he keeps me under his thumb. He won't let me go…. He wants me to be him. Lucius junior, you know? He says that I have to make good grades and keep out of trouble this year or…."

"Or what?" I prompted.

"Nothing. But his punishments are more than any person should have to endure. He was so angry when he found out that Dumbledore had put us in dorms together. But…."

"But what?" I was tired of having to yank information out of the bugger. But it was nice to hear what he had to say.

"I don't know…. I guess it's kind of nice. You know? I've gotten used to it I guess." He blushed scarlet. "You, I mean."

"Me?" I asked surprised.

"I've gotten used to you," he looked surprised as though he hadn't meant to say it.

"Huh," was all I could say. It was weird, you know?

We both sat in stunned silence.

"Dominic told me."

"About what?"

"He said that you have a thing for 'bad boys'."

I laughed, "You believe him?"

"He said you like me…." he turned to look at me. His eyes focused on mine, his look as though he was trying to figure me out, like it was crucial that he knew if Dominic had been right.

I laughed again. "Malfoy. I like a lot of people, 'kay? Doesn't mean you're special or anything."

He turned away and looked back at the lake. "So you do fancy me…. Right?"

"What, are you looking for a written confession, Malfoy?"

"No…. It's just…." he seemed a bit unnerved. "I just want to know…."

"The truth is…. I fancy you, but I don't like you one single bit."

"That makes no sense whatsoever, Granger."

"But it is comforting, though, right?" I smiled. I didn't like him. Of course I fancied him, like almost every other girl in the castle, but I didn't like him. 'There is a difference,' I reassured myself.

All of a sudden, Malfoy started laughing beside me. "I swear, if women weren't so complicated, men would have nothing to live for. We'd have nothing to figure out!"

"Oh. Ha ha. Now I'm a joke, am I? And don't call me a woman…." I paused, thinking about what he'd said. "And what is this 'we'? You're not a man, just a little boy with a big ego."

"Hmph," was all he could reply with.


	22. Dark Druthers

This chapter just sort of came to me, but if you don't like it, please tell me. I don't mind if you flame me for this, I just thought of it and decided to put it in. Who knew I could be (sort of kind of) poetic at 2 in the morning? Enjoy!**  
**

**Chapter 22: Dark Druthers  
**(Hermione's POV)

Malfoy went inside and I heard the portrait hole shut a few seconds later. I wasn't very hungry, but it was getting cold, so I decided to go in.

Once inside, I closed the window behind me. I collected my boots and cloak from my trunk and pulled them on. All my life I had taken walks when I was restless, but at that moment, I seemed very calm and more at ease than usual. I guess that now that everything was out in the open, there was nothing trying to get out.

In the entrance hall, I skirted the shadow of welcoming light coming from the great hall. Everyone was enjoying their meal, laughing, talking. Out on the grounds, I buttoned my cloak more securely and clutched my hands together, fending off the encroaching coldness.

The grounds were foggy and almost pitch black. Once out of the range of light from the windows, I slowed. Comfortable with the sudden coldness and emptiness that came with the dark.

At the lake, I sat down at the edge and breathed in the night air. After a few moments I heard footsteps behind me and the soft submission of grass as someone sat down beside me.

"Hey, 'Mione.," came Ron's voice.

"Ron," I replied, not bothering to turn. The lake was rippling. Moonlight dancing across the crests of the small waves caused by the giant squid settling down for sleep.

"You haven't been spending much time with us…." he left the sentence hanging.

"I've had a lot of studying to do…. You know, mid-year exams," I smiled. Typical, Hermione, sounds just like you.

Ron snickered. "Well, I thought you might want a break from Malfoy," he started to shift uneasily and I could hear him pulling up the grass. "You know," he coughed slightly, "there's a umm, the er, the Halloween ball coming up and…. Well, would you, I mean, would it be alright if…. If you and I went together?"

I didn't say anything. He kept plucking up the grass and shredding it. I reached back and put my hand on his, "Quit with the grass, Ron." I finally turned around and looked at him. He was blushing deeply. "And yes, I'd love to go with you," I kissed him on the side of the mouth and settled back into the grass.

He sat for a moment, not stunned by my actions, he knew it was only a friendly kiss, but more in a pensive manner. "Okay, well. Umm. Don't stay out too late, 'Mione." He got to his feet and moved towards the castle.

"Goodnight, Ron," I called after him.

I laid back and looked up at the moon. Suddenly, I sat up and headed for the trees, deciding to get out of the open before Harry or some other person came out wondering why I was out by the lake. Once under the cover of the trees, I slowed and picked my way along a favourite path.

Someone stepped into my path. "Malfoy!"

"You're going the wrong way, Granger. The school is that way," he dramatically pointed at the castle like Vannah revealing a vowel.

"Good, because that's not where I'm going."

"Where are you going?"

"Come and see…." and I strode away. I found the place quickly, I had been there countless times the year before, It was a small clearing with a little stream running through it. The moonlight filtered through the branches reaching high above our heads. I seated myself on a rock and drew a small jar out of my pocket. Filling the jar with water, I turned to Malfoy.

"What?" he said.

"I was about to say the same thing," I shrugged. "Why did you follow me?"

"What were you and Weasly talking about?"

"How much of a jerk you are."

"Seriously, Granger."

"Does it mater that much?"

He shrugged and turned away from me, took a few steps and turned back to me. "Pansy asked me to the ball."

"Why are you telling me?" I asked. I had a good idea why, but was curious as to what his explanation was.

"I'm trying to start a conversation, Granger. Now you're supposed to say 'Oh, that's nice.' and I respond and eventually we progress to other topics and have a nice little chat."

I raised my eyebrows in amusement. He had a point. "Why would you want to talk to me? Don't you think we've said enough to each other today?"

"Hmmm," was his response. He came and sat on a rock a few feet away from mine, then turned to look at me.

"Alright," I sighed and made myself a little more comfortable on the rock. "What do you look for first off in a girl…. Or guy," I smiled at the last part as he frowned disdainfully.

"In a GIRL, it's nice if she knows what she wants in life."

"Hum. Most guys just say legs or 'not fat' or big…."

"Eyes?" he offered. We both laughed. "What about you?" He caught me off-guard. "Wait! Let me guess. Don't tell me! Voice, right?"

I was surprised, "How d'you know that?"

"Beginning of the year, I whispered in your ear or something and you tensed up and shivered. But when Ron talks to you, all you do is shiver slightly." I was facing the stream now and didn't hear him come up behind me, "What is it about my voice? Let's take a guess, shall we?" he whispered in my ear, carefully not getting too close.

I tried my best not to respond.

He came around to face me. "When we're in potions, and Professor Snape stops to scold you, you tense up but do not shiver," he paused there to tap his chin as though deep in thought. "When Ron talks to you, you shiver, but do not stiffen like so," he stroked the back of my neck causing my muscles to become taught again.

I knew where he was heading and did NOT want him to come to a conclusion, especially not the correct one. But, for some reason, I didn't stop him. I did not even try to keep him from proceeding. It was almost as though I needed to hear it come from someone else so I would know if it was a valid thought.

"What does Snape have that Weasley does not?" He paused. Now it was like he was talking to himself rather than asking me. "Authority. Authority makes you tense up…. And the voice makes you shiver. Right? Snape has authority but not a very good voice. Ronald has a nice sounding voice but is a peer. But so am I…."

I was slowly backing out of the clearing. I was out of sight when he said, "Domination. Granger," he spun on his heel to find me. "I know you're still here. Someone who takes charge. That's what you need…. Or is it what you want?"

I couldn't see him anymore. I couldn't hear him. Then I heard a twig snap behind me and spun around. He caught my wrist with his hand. I could only make out his eyes, which were glinting, laughing, crying, raging, hysterical. I couldn't tell which.

Trying to pull away I almost fell backwards, but he caught and held me close. Leaning down, he whispered in my ear, "I control you now, Granger." I suppressed a small moan that was fighting against my closed lips.

He moved forward slightly, pressing my back into a tree. "I know your secret," my body almost went limp at this point, I could almost hear him smirking. He pulled back and looked into my eyes, still not letting go of my wrist, his other hand gripping at my waist. I looked into his eyes. His grip was firm, but his smile intriguing and soft. His lips were so close, almost touching mine. I wanted to kiss him, no, needed to kiss him. He laughed and let go of me. I stepped away from him. He laughed again and shook his head.

"I own you, Granger," he said and walked slowly out of the woods.

As I watched his retreating back, my vision started to go blurry. Everything was swimming in and out of focus, making the trees twist into wonky shapes.


	23. Dreams and Dumb Dances

**Chapter 23: Dreams and Dumb Dances**  
(Malfoy's POV)

"Granger?" Her eyes opened. "You alright?"

"You have the nerve to talk to me after what you just did?" She reached up and slapped me.

I was shocked. "Granger! I didn't do anything." I'd have to hit her back later.

"That's bullocks, Malfoy. And you'd better not tell anyone about it, either. Did I pass out? Why am I here?"

"Pass out? No, no. I just came down here from the castle. It's well past curfew. We're supposed to be in bed. You fell asleep."

She sat up slowly, rubbing the back of her head as though checking for bruises. "Hm. Must've been a dream," she murmured. I helped her to her feet and we started towards the castle. The lights had been put out inside, but there were still the torches by the front doors.

After a few minutes of walking in silence, I asked, "What were you dreaming about?"

She looked over at me, "Huh? Oh, nothing. I can't remember." She rubbed the back of her neck thoughtfully.

"Are you lying to me, Granger?" I asked playfully.

"NO!" she yelled. She swallowed hard, "Sorry. Umm. No. Well, yeah. I remember it, but would rather not share it right now."

"Well, how about tomorrow?" I teased, not expecting a response.

"Maybe," she stepped up ahead of me, pulling open the door and holding it open for me.

I nodded in thanks, and we proceeded to the common room without another word.

Sunday morning, or really, it was afternoon when I woke up. I made my way into the common room. There was some toast on my desk. Granger must've brought it up from breakfast. I munched on the toast and headed down to the Slytherin common room. I hadn't had time to change into my nightclothes before falling into bed.

Crabbe, Goyle, and Parkinson were in the common room. I wandered over and took a seat next to Pansy, putting my arm around her shoulder. "Where are Blaise and Diana?" I asked.

"They're snogging in Blaise's room." Pansy replied, shoving my arm off. She suddenly jumped up, "Wait! Oh, Dracee! Wait until you see my dress I'm wearing to the Ball tomorrow night!" Pansy ran off to the girl's dorms.

"She has more mood swings than Granger," I muttered to Crabbe and Goyle. They both grunted stupidly.

A few moments later, Pansy came prancing through the door to the girl's dorms and twirled around in front of me. Her dress was annoyingly pink. I mean, there's a colour pink, then there's the pink of her dress, which assaulted the senses.

"Well, what do you think?" She spun around, causing the dress to lift, showing her knickers to the entire common room.

"It's really short," I commented. The dress was so bloody short you could almost see her bum hanging out. It was a halter dress, and the neck was cut low to show off Pansy's best (only) assets. There were places ripped out around the torso to show off the navel and lower back.

"I know, isn't it gorgeous! I found it in the back of my mother's closet! She let me borrow it! Isn't this wonderful, Drakee-poo!" She plopped herself in my lap, causing the dress to rise up further, and wrapped her arms around my neck.

"Um, yeah. It's nice, Pansy," I kissed her lightly on the cheek, trying to make it seem like I meant it.

She stood up and smacked me. "Don't get fresh with me, Draco Malfoy." Then she leaned down to whisper in my ear, "Save that for tomorrow night." She winked and walked back towards the girl's staircase as I tried my best not to cringe. She put a lot of effort in walking away, trying to sway her hips back and forth seductively, but she was so skinny that it just looked all wrong. Granger could teach her how to do it.

I stopped. Granger? No. I was only thinking about her because of the dream. It was probably stupid, but I wanted to know! I stood suddenly, causing Crabbe and Goyle to snap out of their trance-like states of stupidity. "I'm going."

They both stood. "I'm going alone," I said. I swear, if I told them both to go jump off the astronomy tower while singing God Save the Queen, they would ask me whether they should do it now or after dinner.

Blaise stopped me at the door, "You're not going to tell anyone about my parents, are yeh mate? 'Cos even if they're in leagues with Dumbledore, well, that doesn't mean I am as well, you know."

"I know Blaise, and I'm not going to tell anyone. I'm not a prat."

"I wasn't implyin' that yeh are, Malfoy. Anyways, what about the dance tomorrow? Are you going to get Pansy anything? She told Diana that you were taking her. I'm going with Diana of course." Blaise babbled constantly. He went on for a few more minutes like this before stopping, "So, what're you going to get for Pansy?"

"I haven't really thought about it." I didn't know it was required to get something for the girl if it was such a minor thing. I mean, the Yule Ball definitely made it clear that the girl should recieve something. This was simply a Halloween dance.

"You should get her flowers, my friend. Cheap and easy. You don't have to choose something specifically that way, you know. Jewellery they might not like, but flowers. Every girl likes flowers mate."

We talked a while longer before Diana came and put on a pouty face because Blaise wasn't paying enough attention to her. Dinner wouldn't start for another hour so I decided to finish my Potions essay.

I stepped into the common room a few minutes later. Granger was standing by the window with Ron. They weren't talking, just staring.

"What are you two looking at?" I asked, striding over to stand beside the two.

"Nothing. We were just talking," Hermione replied, not turning.

"I didn't hear you talking."

"Yeah, well we weren't going to carry on the conversation with you in the room, now were we?" Ron said, turning to look at me challengingly.

I raised my eyebrows. "Fine with me," I turned to Hermione, "Now. Tell me about the dream."

"What dream?" Ron asked looking between the two of us.

Hermione ignored his question and said, "See you later, Ron."

He nodded, still looking suspiciously at us, and left.

"Okay…. Now tell me about the dream." I said, sitting on a couch.

"I can't." She sat in an armchair across from me.

"And why not?"

"I have short term memory loss."

"Ah, I see. That must be very convenient." I laughed, "Why don't you want to tell me? Was it about me?"

She blushed deep scarlet, "No."

"Well how can you remember if it had me in it, if you can't remember the dream?" I leaned forward.

"I'm going to dinner."

I leaned back again and closed my eyes. Women. Can't live with them…. Yeah, that's pretty much it.

I decided to go into Hogsmeade for some shopping. I had to get Pansy some flowers for the Ball.

thisisalinethisisalinethisisalinethisisalinethisisalinethisisalinethisisalinethisisaline

"It's getting cold," I commented. I pulled off my cloak and sat down across from Hermione at the Head's table. Setting my shopping down, I grabbed my goblet of pumpkin juice and took a big gulp.

"Where did you go?" She asked. Not angrily, not sulkily. I guess she was back to normal.

"Hogsmeade. I bought something to give Pansy tomorrow night, and something for me."

"What did you buy her?"

"Flowers."

"What kind?"

"The pretty kind. Why does it matter?"

"What happened to the 'I know every name of every muggle flower that's ever been discovered.'?" Hermione said. "And it doesn't matter. I was just asking. What did you buy for yourself?"

"I can't remember," I said. How dare she mock me and expect me to answer her civilly? Then I echoed her response from earlier, "I think I have short term memory loss like you."

"Well, at least you can make new friends every day," she said, smiling. It took me a second to figure it out. I'm not daft, it was just surprising to find something so witty coming out of Granger's mouth. "You probably bought another mirror to add to your collection," she continued, poking at her food and giving me a wry smile.

How did she know? "Actually I did, but this mirror is special. It shows the person as they look to other people. It's not a reversed reflection like all the muggle mirror copies.

"Hm. How much did you pay for it?" she asked as I pulled it out of my bag.

"Only ahemfiftycough galleons," I tried to muffle the fifty galleon price.

"Fifty galleons? For a bloody mirror! You have got to be kidding me!" she laughed and came around the table to look my purchase.

She came around and looked at it from behind my shoulder. I held up my fingers and wiggled them to show her how it worked. "See? Isn't it brilliant?"

She looked with wide eyes in the mirror, "Oh, Malfoy! Look! I think I can see something!"

"Really? What!" I asked, getting excited. Maybe this mirror had more magical qualities than I thought. "What do you see!"

"A sucker." She laughed and I blushed. "Fools are easily parted with their riches, Malfoy."

"Are you calling me a fool?"

"No, I'm calling you an idiot. You spent fifty bloody galleons on a mirror! That's ridiculous, even for you." She chuckled as the plates were cleared away and dessert appeared.

Hermione stood up, getting ready to leave. "You're not staying for dessert?"

"I wasn't planning on it. But if you want me to stay, I will." she replied, hesitating.

"Well, if your temporary memory loss has cleared up, I would love to know what that dream was about."

"It's not really something I'd like to discuss here, Malfoy. But if we go to the dormitory, I'd be happy to tell you."

"Alright, then." I really wanted to know after she said that.

In the common room, I set my shopping down on a chair and sat down on the couch. I picked up a mug and went to get some water from the bathroom.

Hermione came in behind me and stood next to me at the sink.

"I still can't figure out what problem you have with these mirrors," she commented.

"Tell me about the dream." I said simply and took a sip of water, not bothering to move away. Her presence was warm and inviting, comforting, almost.

"Well, I was in the common room, and then you come out of your room," she began in a soft, sultry voice, "You came over to me and took my hand. Leading me into your room, you wrapped your other hand around my waist." Unaware, I leaned closer to her, as though her voice was getting softer and I desperately needed to hear what she was saying. "When you opened the door, I saw that all the lamps were covered in red shawls, giving the room a diffused glow. There were candles lit all around the room, adding to the dim light, and I could feel something soft under my feet. There were rose petals sprinkled on the floor and all over the bed, the curtains were drawn and you were trailing kisses up my arm." At that point, I nervously took a sip of water from the mug I was still grasping tightly in my fingers. "I turned and looked you in the eyes," she continued, leaning her head on my shoulder, her hair smelled really good. Her voice became a whisper, "Then, I leaned in close to you like this, and whispered, 'Draco…. Drop the cup.'."

There was a shattering of broken china and I seemed to wake out of a reverie. Granger had pulled away, and the pleasant feeling was gone. I turned. She stood there laughing. I blushed heavily. "That was NOT funny, Granger."

"Maybe not to you, but, as you can see, I thought it quite entertaining," she said, her laughter dying down. I couldn't help but notice her face was a little red as well, probably from laughing, but she wouldn't meet my gaze.

"I knew the dream was about me," I told her, trying to save face and change the mood a bit.

She laughed again and met my eyes. "You really think that was my dream?" She seemed more calm now, though a bit fidgety.

"It wasn't?" I played dumb. Granger was acting unsure of herself and I didn't like it. She was a bold, outspoken young woman, and I didn't like the way she was acting. It was different, and made me feel uneasy.

Her mood lightened, and her eyes brightened. She giggled and ran into her room, slamming the door behind her. Okay, then.

After clearing up the broken cup and water, I moved into the common room, grabbing a book from the shelf on my way to my favourite chair.

Suddenly, Granger burst through the door to her room, carrying a small cube-like thing.

"What is that?" I asked.

"My mp3 player. I fixed it so it'll play here. I want you to hear a song," she set the empty 3 thing on the coffee table in front of me, and connected something to the first thing.

"I thought you weren't allowed to have those muggle things," I commented.

"Yeah, well. That's a stupid rule, and should be ignored."

"I could take away points."

"So could I." She smiled up at me. "Ready?" She sat kneeling across the table from me. She pressed a small button on the side of the cube and music filled the room.

_Can I take your order, please?  
Let's eat to the beat!  
A pizza hut, a pizza hut  
Kentucky fried chicken and a pizza hut  
A pizza hut, a pizza hut  
Kentucky fried chicken and a pizza hut  
McDonalds! McDonald's!  
Kentucky fried chicken and a pizza hut  
McDonald's! McDonald's!  
Kentucky fried chicken and a pizza hut_

At this point she pressed another button and paused the music.

"My goodness, Granger. I do believe that that is the stupidest thing I've ever heard in my life!" I said in the silence. "Please don't tell me there's more!"

She smiled evilly. "There is more, and I," she pulled me out of my chair, "am going to teach you the moves to the song."

"The what?"

"The moves, Malfoy. C'mon! The dance moves. Here we go, are you ready? In the chorus, there's Pizza Hut-"

"And what is a bloody Pizza Hut?"

"It's a restaurant. All of them are restaurants," she sighed. "So, we have Pizza Hut, right? So we put our hands over our heads, like they form a roof, like a house or something, alright?" She demonstrated. "Then, we have Kentucky Fried Chicken-"

"How can you fry a chicken with Kentucky? What is a Kentucky, anyways? It sounds like a nasty smelling vegetable-"

"Kentucky is a place. And Kentucky fried chicken is fried in Kentucky-"

"Do they fly it specially from Kentucky to the restaurant?"

"No."

"Well, then it's hardly Kentucky fried chicken, isn't it? More like Manchester fried chicken, or Liverpool fried chicken."

"What I meant was that they fry it like they do in Kentucky. It's a special way they do it or something, now can I please continue?"

"Of course, please, go on. I am so excited to be learning your ridiculous muggle dance."

"Thank you. Now, for the Kentucky Fried Chicken part, you flap your arms like a chicken. Like the chicken dance." She imitated a bird, putting her hands under her arms and moving her elbows up and down.

"Do I have to learn the chicken dance as well?"

"Only if I decide to prolong the torture, Malfoy. Now, the last one is McDonald's. At this point, you-"

"What does McDonald's serve?"

"What?"

"Well, Pizza Hut serves pizza, Kentucky Fried Chicken sells chicken…. What does McDonald's have?"

"Burgers and chips mainly. Here's how you do the McDonald's part. You put your hands up like you're making an 'm', like in the YMCA song. Then you move your head side to side like you're trying to touch your ear to your shoulder. But move your arms side to side as well. You ready?"

"Sure, why not." I said. She pressed a button and the music came back on. We had to wait for the verse to finish before the "fun" part came.

_You like it, you love it  
You know you really want it  
The voices I hear whenever your around  
I want it, I need it  
Nothin' else can beat it  
Hot and spicy, whenever I'm in town  
Enticing, exciting  
Aroma so inviting  
And when it hits me, I want to take you home  
Trust me, you must see  
Just what you're doin' to me  
Drivin' me crazy, hungry to the bone  
I think of you and lick my lips  
You've got the taste I can't resist  
Can't resist, can't resist  
Let's eat to the beat!_

_A pizza hut, a pizza hut  
Kentucky fried chicken and a pizza hut  
A pizza hut, a pizza hut  
Kentucky fried chicken and a pizza hut  
McDonalds! McDonald's!  
Kentucky fried chicken and a pizza hut  
McDonald's! McDonald's!  
Kentucky fried chicken and a pizza hut_

_Would you like that to go?  
Any sauces?  
You're so sweet, and you're neat  
You knock me off my two feet  
You're chunky and hunky  
I'm coming back for more (hot dog!)  
Your taste, it embraces  
I gotta sing your praises  
Savour the flavours,  
I'm waiting at your door  
I think of you and lick my lips  
You've got the taste I can't resist  
Can't resist, can't resist  
Let's eat to the beat!_

_A pizza hut, a pizza hut  
Kentucky fried chicken and a pizza hut  
A pizza hut, a pizza hut  
Kentucky fried chicken and a pizza hut  
McDonalds! McDonald's!  
Kentucky fried chicken and a pizza hut  
McDonald's! McDonald's!  
Kentucky fried chicken and a pizza hut_

Granger paused the song again and said, "Okay. For this part, when they say 'shake it to the left', you do this," she shook her hips and stepped to the left, towards me. It wasn't a shake like Pansy would do, trying to entice me or any other poor soul, but more like a fun little waggle that was sexy in its innocence. "Then when they say 'shake it to the right', you-"

"Shake to the right?" I asked.

She smiled and patted me on the head, "You're catching on! Good, now let's try it."

_Does anyone fancy a shake?  
Shake!  
Shake it to the left!  
Shake it to the right!  
Let's shake!  
I think of you and lick my lips  
You've got the taste I can't resist  
Can't resist, can't resist  
Let's eat to the beat!_

_A pizza hut, a pizza hut  
Kentucky fried chicken and a pizza hut  
A pizza hut, a pizza hut  
Kentucky fried chicken and a pizza hut  
McDonalds! McDonald's!  
Kentucky fried chicken and a pizza hut  
McDonald's! McDonald's!  
Kentucky fried chicken and a pizza hut (2x)_

_(-The Fast Food song by the Fast Food Rockers-)_

When the song had ended and Granger had turned off the empty 3 player, I said, "You know, that song is filled with all sorts of innuendo. I don't think it's appropriate for such innocent ears. Not to mention, should be considered for the dumbest song of the year award."

"For your information, Malfoy, I'm not that innocent, and it's just a song. Do you have to criticize everything?"

"Yes," I replied simply.

She stood glaring at me for a while then muttered, "I'm tired," to no one in particular.

"Me too." I leaned back and stretched, looking over at the clock. 9:02, and we had classes the next day. 'Great,' I thought.

"Night," she got up and went to her room.

"Goodnight," I answered, going into my own room.

I lay in bed a while. That song wasn't really so bad. But if I ever heard it again, I think I'd pull my hair out. I sure wouldn't forget that night. And I had to admit. It was sort of…. Fun.


End file.
